Aqueous dispersion and dielectrophoretic assembly of individual surface-synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes

The successful dispersion and large-scale parallel assembly of individual surface-synthesized large-diameter (1-3 nm) single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), is demonstrated. SWNTs are removed from the growth substrate by a short, low-energy ultrasonic pulse to produce ultrapure long-term stable surfactant-stabilized solutions. Subsequent dielectrophoretic deposition bridges individual, straight, and long SWNTs between two electrodes. Electrical characterization on 223 low-resistance devices (R(average) approximately 200 kOmega) evidences the high quality of the SWNT raw material, prepared solution, and contact interface. The research reported herein provides an important framework for the large-scale industrial integration of carbon nanotube-based devices, sensors, and applications.