Electronic properties of a single-walled carbon nanotube/150mer-porphyrin system measured by point-contact current imaging atomic force microscopy

The electronic properties of a single-walled carbon nanotube/150mer of porphyrin polymer wire system were investigated. Current-voltage (I-V) curves were measured simultaneously along with topographic observations using point-contact current imaging atomic force microscopy. Symmetric I-V curves were obtained at bare single-walled carbon nanotubes but characteristic asymmetrical rectifying behavior was found at the single-walled carbon nanotube/150mer-porphyrin junctions. This finding is of key importance for the development of new nanoscale molecular electronic devices.