Her research interests focus on the nanostructure materials and their applications. One research project is to study the electronic properties of the nanotube materials. The recently discovered carbon nanotubes are one important example. They are sheets of graphite rolled up into seamless cylinders with nanometer diameters. Electrons in these cylindrical fullerenes are free to move only in the direction of the tube axis since they are confined in the radial and circumferential directions.
Carbon nanotubes exhibit fascinating electronic properties.
Depending on the diameter and chirality, the tube shows either metallic behavior or semiconducting behavior. Another unique advantage of SPM is its nanoscale manipulation and positioning of objects on surfaces. Our other research project is to investigate the controlled manipulation of nanotubes using SPM to form nanoscale electronic devices. For carbon nanotubes, the exceptional strength and stability of the carbon-carbon bond make them robust and stable. In addition, the native properties of nanotubes can be tailored locally by a variety of method, including external field, substitutional doping, mechanical deformation, or chemical derivatization.