It was shown that carbon nanotubes were robust under high H2+ ion fluences. This conclusion was drawn after analyzing radiation-induced defects in reconfigurable single-walled carbon nanotube p-n diodes with partially suspended nanotubes. The analysis showed that any defects created by radiation were likely to be the result of interactions between the nanotube and the substrate, whereas the suspended region of the nanotube remained undamaged. In addition, it was shown that key features in the diode characteristics could be explained by a single radiation-induced defect that enhances the minority carrier generation rate of only one carrier type.

Creation of Individual Defects at Extremely High Proton Fluences in Carbon Nanotube p-n Diodes. E.S.Comfort, M.Fishman, A.Malapanis, H.Hughes, P.McMarr, C.D.Cress, H.Bakhru, J.U.Lee: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 2011, 58[6-1], 2898-903