Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and N-doped CNTs with Y-junctions have been prepared by the pyrolysis of nickelocene-thiophene and nickel phthalocyanine-thiophene mixtures, respectively, the latter being reported for the first time. The junctions are free from the presence of sulfur and contain only carbon or carbon and nitrogen. The electronic properties of the junction nanotubes have been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. Tunneling conductance measurements reveal rectifying behavior with regions of coulomb blockade, the effect being much larger in the N-doped junction nanotubes. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.