We show that the band structure of metallic carbon nanotubes can be dramatically altered by the local electrostatic field. This is realized by coupling chemically functionalized nanotubes to form T junctions. The bar of the T is the conducting channel and the leg of the T is used for local gating. Transport measurements reveal that an energy gap develops upon application of a local electric field in both devices with or without linker molecules at the junction. We propose that the mechanism of the band gap modulation in the T junctions without linker molecules is the field effect, with the linker molecules introducing additional electromechanical and chemical effects.

• Received 24 June 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.246802