RSM2015 Proc. 2015, K.

Terengganu, Malaysia

Brain-Like Signal Generating Electric Devices made

of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube and Nanoparticle
Complex

Hirofumi Tanaka
Department of Human Intelligence Systems,
Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering,
Kyushu Institute of Technology,
2-4 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu 808-0196, Japan.
e-mail: tanaka@brain.kyutech.ac.jp

ABSTRACT

For the future development of electronics in nanoscale, molecular nanodevices should be constructed using nanometer-sized
electrical wiring. To obtain high-quality devices composed of a few molecules, the nanoscale wiring and the device should have a
constant interface. For this purpose, single-walled nanotube (SWNT) has been utilized with several nanoparticles like 5,15-
Bispentyl-porphyrinato Zinc(II) (BPP-Zn), N,N’-bisalkyl-1,4,5,8-naphthalenediimide (Cx-NDI, where x is number of methylene
units in the alkyl side-chain) and 1:12 phosphomolybdic acid (PMo 12). Then electrical property of the complex was measured by
using point-contact current imaging atomic force microscopy.[1,2] In the BPP-Zn case, the complex having 2.5-4.5 nm heights
was observed. Since a diameter of SWNT is about 1.1-1.5 nm, height of porphyrin-aggregate on SWNT is about 1-3 nm,
corresponding 2-6 porphyrin monomers. We measured the conduction property of the complex using PCI-AFM successfully. The
results reveal the conduction property of SWNT/porphyrin complex. I-V curve was symmetric where porphyrin aggregate was not
absorbed on SWNT, while it was asymmetric where porphyrin was absorbed. This means porphyrin nanoparticles work as
rectification devices on the SWNT wiring. Cx-NDI nanoparticles also working as a rectifier on SWNT sidewall.
PMo12 also has interesting electric properties. I-V curve obtained by PCI-AFM always show peaks called negative differential
resistance (NDR). The NDR is considered that occurred by redox of PMo12. Because NDR is one of the components of noise
generator, a random network of SWNT/PMo12 was fabricated and electrode which gap is about 1mm was put on the network.
When bias was applied, amplitude of current, noise strength, was increased as bias increased from 0V to 125V. Further, current
became unstable when 150 V was applied to the same device and then generated pulse current. The pulses were obtained as
special case of the instability of a circuit. As the phenomena were expected to be utilized as neuron devices used in brain like
computing, the behavior was chaotically analyzed. Each preparation condition had different “attractors” and the results might be
the indexes for controlling the neuron behavior of the devices.
References:
1. Y. Otsuka, Y. Naitoh, T. Matsumoto, T. Kawai, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Part 2 41 (2002) L742.
2. A. Terawaki, Y. Otsuka, H. Y. Lee, T. Matsumoto et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 86 (2005) 113 901.
3. Y. Otsuka, Y. Naitoh, T. Matsumoto, T. Kawai, Appl. Phys. Lett. 82 (2003) 1944.
4. T. Yajima, H. Tanaka, T. Matsumoto, Y. Otsuka et al., Nanotechnology, 18 (2007) 551.
5. H. Tanaka, T. Yajima, T. Matsumoto, Y. Otsuka et al., Adv. Mater. 18 (2006) 1411.

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