Method, arrangement and use of an arrangement for separating metallic carbon nanotubes from semi-conducting carbon nanotubes

Abstract

A method for separating metallic carbon nanotubes and semi-conducting carbon nanotubes includes providing a suspension containing a plurality of individual metallic carbon nanotubes and semi-conducting carbon nanotubes in a liquid, for which the dielectric constant ε L meets the requirement: ε M >ε L >ε H , wherein ε M is the dieletric constant of the metallic carbon nanotubes and ε H is the dielectric constant of the semi-conducting carbon nanotubes. A a non-homogeneous electric alternating field is applied to the suspension to create spatially separate species of the metallic carbon nanotubes and the semi-conducting carbon nanotubes. At least one of the separate species is then removed.

1 . An arrangement for separating metallic carbon nanotubes from semi-conducting carbon nanotubes, comprising: 
 a semi-conducting substrate;    an insulating layer deposited on the semi-conducting substrate; and    metal electrodes deposited on the insulating layer which are connectable via contacts to an alternating voltage source.    
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the semi-conducting substrate comprises silicon, the insulation layer comprises silicon dioxide and the metal electrodes comprise gold.  
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the silicon is doped with boron.