Electron transport in Ar+-irradiated single wall carbon nanotubes

We study the effect of Ar+-irradiation on electrical transport in an individual single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT), a thin SWNT network and a thick SWNT film. The damage to SWNT structure induced by Ar+-irradiation is characterized by Raman spectroscopy. The electrical conductance both in an individual SWNT and in a thin SWNT network is strongly reduced by highly energetic Ar+ ions. On contrary, a thick SWNT film exhibits an increase of its conductivity as well as of its Young modulus after irradiation. 0 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim