Are electrical switching and rectification inherent properties of carbon nanotube Y junctions?

Recent experimental results on carbon nanotube Y junctions have indicated ballistic rectification and switching, making them promising candidates for molecular device applications. The question still persists, however, whether this switching is the result of inherent nanotube properties or caused by the remnants of catalyst particles in the junction region of the nanotubes. In the present work, through a detailed theoretical calculation of quantum conductance of Y junctions with and without the presence of catalyst particles blocking the junction region the authors show that rectification and switching properties can be attributable entirely to the inherent nanotube properties and not to the catalysts. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.