Carbon nanotube logic gates: An interplay of spin and light

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are known to be the future of modern electronic devices due to their unique structure and extraordinary properties. In this paper, we modeled a first of its kind combinational carbon nanotube device consisting of a lanthanum strontium manganite molecule fused near the left CNT electrode and four-atom boron–nitrogen dopant atoms substituted near the right CNT electrode. Spin-resolved transport properties are studied using density functional theory. It is observed from the results that spin-resolved transport properties highly depend on the type of magnetic field applied and light conditions. The device shows efficient switching pattern and high spin filtration. The observations are made by calculating I–V characteristics, spin dependent transmission spectra, and molecular projected self-consistent Hamiltonian orbitals. Using light and spin polarization dependent properties, we have designed and realized the logic operations of and, or, and not gates. The study is useful to design a number of futuristic spin and light controlled electronic devices such as transistors, amplifiers, and oscillators.