Sensing Single Molecules with Carbon-Boron-Nitride Nanotubes

TL;DR

This study explores how carbon-boron-nitride nanotube junctions can detect single molecules by observing conductance changes, with potential for selective sensing based on analyte type and BN spacer length.

Contribution

It introduces a method to analyze conductance data for molecular sensing using CNT-BN-CNT junctions, demonstrating analyte discrimination capabilities.

Findings

Conductance varies with analyte binding and BN spacer length.

Method enables discrimination between different analytes.

Conductance analysis can be used for molecular sensing applications.

Abstract

We investigate the molecular sensing properties of carbon nanotube-boron nitride-carbon nanotube (CNT-BN-CNT) junctions. We demonstrate that the electrical conductance of such a junction changes in response to the binding of an analyte molecule to the region of BN. The change in conductance depends on the length of the BN spacer and the position of the analyte and therefore we propose a method of statistically analysing conductance data. We demonstrate the ability to discriminate between analytes, by computing the conductance changes due to three analytes (benzene, thiol-capped oligoyne and a pyridyl-capped oligoyne) binding to junctions with five different lengths of BN spacer.