The Kondo effect and superconductivity are both prime examples of many-body phenomena. Here we report transport measurements on a carbon nanotube quantum dot coupled to superconducting leads that show a delicate interplay between both effects. We demonstrate that the superconductivity of the leads does not destroy the Kondo correlations on the quantum dot when the Kondo temperature, which varies for different single-electron states, exceeds the superconducting gap energy.

We explore the electric-field effect of carbon nanotubes (NTs) in electrolytes. Due to the large gate capacitance, Fermi energy (EF) shifts of order ±1 V can be induced, enabling to tune NTs from p to n-type. Consequently, large resistance changes are measured. At zero gate voltage, the NTs are hole-doped in air with |EF|≈0.3–0.5 eV, corresponding to a doping level of ≈1013 cm−2. Hole-doping increases in the electrolyte.

We have measured the differential conductance of individual multiwall carbon nanotubes. Coulomb blockade and energy level quantization are observed. The electron levels are nearly fourfold degenerate (including spin) and their evolution in magnetic field (Zeeman splitting) agrees with a g factor of 2. In zero magnetic field the sequential filling of states evolves with spin S according to S = 0-->1/2-->0.... A Kondo enhancement of the conductance is observed when the number of electrons on the tube is odd.

We report resonant multiple Andreev reflections in a multiwall carbon nanotube quantum dot coupled to superconducting leads. The position and magnitude of the subharmonic gap structure is found to depend strongly on the level positions of the single-electron states which are adjusted with a gate electrode. We discuss a theoretical model of the device and compare the calculated differential conductance with the experimental data.

We have studied tunneling of electrons into multiwall carbon nanotubes (NTs) in NT-gold and NT-NT junctions, the latter created by atomic force microscope manipulation. The tunneling conductance goes to zero as the energy (temperature and bias) is reduced, and the functional form is consistent with a power law. The exponents depend upon sample geometry. The relationship between these results and theories for tunneling into ballistic and disordered metals is discussed.