The effects of UV/ozone treatments on the electrical transport behavior of single-walled carbon nanotube arrays

We investigated the electrical transport response of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) arrays exposed to ultraviolet (UV) and ozone (O3). Pure UV irradiation induced an increase in resistance due to molecular photodesorption on the nanotubes. The effect of the O3 treatment on the resistance of SWNT arrays depended on the degree of O3 due to different dominant mechanisms, including the transduction of molecular adsorption and O3 doping on nanotubes as well as the creation of defects. The results suggest that the detailed control of UV/O3 exposure could be useful in manipulating electrical devices using SWNT arrays.