THE squeaky-clean image of buckytubes has taken a beating. Ever since their
discovery, these carbon nanotubes have dazzled scientists with their near-ideal
combination of strength, heat conduction and electrical properties. But now the
truth is out: research published this week shows they could be one of the
noisiest components ever considered for use in electronics.
A team from the University of California at Berkeley and the Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, led by Alex Zettl, has reported on the first
extensive study of noise in nanotubes. Noise is the name given to voltage
fluctuations that can occur when a constant electric…
