As the scientists explained, the carbon nanotubes contain a pair of metallic electrodes. Through electrical breakdown, the scientists could create a gap of just a few nanometers between the electrodes. The gap’s position and size of less than 10 nm had to be controlled with nanoscale precision in order to allow for a current. The researchers then assembled a molecule having a 6-nm-long rod-like structure and electrical characteristics that enabled it to be electrostatically trapped in the gap, completing the “circuit” between the electrodes. They predicted that the electrode gap could host no more than one to three of these molecules.
When applying a voltage to the electrodes, the scientists observed bright spots of electroluminescence, and they could control the electroluminescence by switching the voltage on and off. The scientists could determine that the light was coming from the molecule between the electrodes by overlaying an image captured previously with external illumination. The researchers observed a small bright spot between the electrodes in 6 of 20 CNT-molecule-CNT devices. They calculated that, on average, one photon was emitted per 1 billion electrons.
continued at link:
http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-12-molecular-torch-carbon-nanotubes-emits.html
Electroluminescence from Electrolyte-Gated Carbon Nanotube Field-Effect Transistors
http://www.physorg.com/news171648087.html
Physicists propose mechanism that explains the origins of both dark matter and 'normal' matter
http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-12-physicists-mechanism-dark.html
