Effect of gating and pressure on the electronic transport properties of crossed nanotube junctions: formation of a Schottky barrier.

The electronic transport properties of crossed carbon nanotube junctions are investigated using ab initio methods. The optimal atomic structures and the intertube distances of the junctions are obtained using van der Waals corrected density functional theory. The effect of gating on the intertube conductance of the junctions is explored, showing the charge accumulation to the nanotube contact and the charge depletion region at the metal-semiconductor Schottky contact. Finally, it is shown how the conductance of the junctions under the gate voltage is affected by pressure applied to the nanotube film.