Towards selective detection of chiral molecules using SWNT sensors

Calculations are performed to demonstrate that chiral molecules should in principle be selectively detected on chiral semi-conducting single-walled carbon nanotubes. These nanotubes, when they are used in a resonator configuration, could discriminate the two enantiomers (left and right handed species) of an amino acid through the adsorption energy difference A Wand through the resonance frequency shift Delta Delta f directly connected to the permittivity change of the tubes due to the molecule adsorption. Application to the calculation of A W and Delta Delta f for the adsorption of L and D-alanine on various chiral nanotubes defines the parameters which are crucial for an optimized detection. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.