Two molecular motion control units were devised, based upon double-walled carbon nanotubes embedded with a Stone-Thrower-Wales defect cluster. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to determine the characteristics of the two control units. It was shown that one of the molecular control units was able to perform a logic operation on one logic input and produce three logic outputs, while the other was able to produce two logic outputs. Potential applications of the motion control units included molecular switches, shuttles and mechanically based logic devices.

Motion Control in Double-Walled Carbon Nanotube Systems using a Stone-Thrower-Wales Defect Cluster. P.Liu, Y.W.Zhang: Journal of Physics D, 2010, 43[44], 445404