A carbon nanotube is formed on at least one Molybdenum-based electrode. In one embodiment, a carbon-nanotube device includes a pair of Molybdenum-based electrodes over respective terraces. Using a catalyst on the Molybdenum-based material of at least one electrode, a carbon nanotube is grown over a gap that separates the terraces to connect the Molybdenum-based electrodes. Yet other aspects of the present invention employ carbon nanotubes extending (suspended) from respective Molybdenum-based structures for use in electrically addressable devices. The nanotubes can also be formed by patterned growth to bridge such Molybdenum-based electrodes. A particular method for manufacturing this device does not require post-growth processing. Applications include, among many others, scalable nanotube transistors/switches nano-electromechanical systems.