Joshua P. Small

Operation of Graphene Transistors at Gigahertz Frequencies

Top-gated graphene transistors operating at high frequencies (gigahertz) have been fabricated and their characteristics analyzed. The measured intrinsic current gain shows an ideal 1/f frequency dependence, indicating a FET-like behavior for graphene transistors. The cutoff frequency f(T) is found to be proportional to the dc transconductance g(m) of the device, consistent with the relation f(T) = g(m)/(2piC(G)). The peak f(T) increases with a reduced gate length, and f(T) as high as 26 GHz is measured for a graphene transistor with a gate length of 150 nm. The work represents a significant step toward the realization of graphene-based electronics for high-frequency applications.

Thin Film Nanotube Transistors Based on Self-Assembled, Aligned, Semiconducting Carbon Nanotube Arrays

Thin film transistors (TFTs) are now poised to revolutionize the display, sensor, and flexible electronics markets. However, there is a limited choice of channel materials compatible with low-temperature processing. This has inhibited the fabrication of high electrical performance TFTs. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have very high mobilities and can be solution-processed, making thin film CNT-based TFTs a natural direction for exploration. The two main challenges facing CNT-TFTs are the difficulty of placing and aligning CNTs over large areas and low on/off current ratios due to admixture of metallic nanotubes. Here, we report the self-assembly and self-alignment of CNTs from solution into micron-wide strips that form regular arrays of dense and highly aligned CNT films covering the entire chip, which is ideally suitable for device fabrication. The films are formed from pre-separated, 99% purely semiconducting CNTs and, as a result, the CNT-TFTs exhibit simultaneously high drive currents and large on/off current ratios. Moreover, they deliver strong photocurrents and are also both photo- and electroluminescent.

Landau-Level Splitting in Graphene in High Magnetic Fields

The quantum Hall (QH) effect in two-dimensional electrons and holes in high quality graphene samples is studied in strong magnetic fields up to 45 T. QH plateaus at filling factors nu = 0, +/-1, +/-4 are discovered at magnetic fields B > 20 T, indicating the lifting of the fourfold degeneracy of the previously observed QH states at nu = +/-4(absolute value(n) + 1/2), where n is the Landau-level index. In particular, the presence of the nu = 0, +/-1 QH plateaus indicates that the Landau level at the charge neutral Dirac point splits into four sublevels, lifting sublattice and spin degeneracy. The QH effect at nu = +/-4 is investigated in a tilted magnetic field and can be attributed to lifting of the spin degeneracy of the n = 1 Landau level.

Fabrication and electric-field-dependent transport measurements of mesoscopic graphite devices

We have developed a unique micromechanical method to extract extremely thin graphite samples. Graphite crystallites with thicknesses ranging from 10 to 100nm and lateral size ∼2μm are extracted from bulk. Mesoscopic graphite devices are fabricated from these samples for electric field-dependent conductance measurements. Strong conductance modulation as a function of gate voltage is observed in the thinner crystallite devices. The temperature-dependent resistivity measurements show more boundary scattering contribution in the thinner graphite samples.

Modulation of Thermoelectric Power of Individual Carbon Nanotubes

Thermoelectric power (TEP) of individual single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been measured at mesoscopic scales using a microfabricated heater and thermometers. Gate electric field dependent TEP modulation has been observed. The measured TEP of SWNTs is well correlated to the electrical conductance across the SWNT according to the Mott formula. Strong modulations of TEP were observed in the single-electron conduction limit. In addition, semiconducting SWNTs exhibit large values of TEP due to the Schottky barriers at SWNT-metal junctions.

Mesoscopic thermal and thermoelectric measurements of individual carbon nanotubes

We discuss the mesoscopic experimental measurements of electron energy dissipation, phonon thermal transport, and thermoelectric phenomena in individual carbon nanotubes. The temperature distributions in electrically heated individual multiwalled carbon nanotubes have been measured with a scanning thermal microscope. The temperature profiles along the tube axis in nanotubes indicate the bulk dissipation of electronic energy to phonons. In addition, thermal conductivity of an individual multiwalled nanotube has been measured using a microfabricated suspended device. The observed thermal conductivity is two orders of magnitude higher than the estimation from previous experiments that used macroscopic mat samples. Finally, we present thermoelectric power (TEP) of individual single walled carbon nanotubes using a novel mesoscopic device. A strong modulation of TEP as a function of the gate electrode was observed. q 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phonon populations and electrical power dissipation in carbon nanotube transistors

Carbon nanotubes and graphene are candidate materials for nanoscale electronic devices. Both materials show weak acoustic phonon scattering and long mean free paths for low-energy charge carriers. However, high-energy carriers couple strongly to optical phonons, which leads to current saturation and the generation of hot phonons. A non-equilibrium phonon distribution has been invoked to explain the negative differential conductance observed in suspended metallic nanotubes, while Raman studies have shown the electrical generation of hot G-phonons in metallic nanotubes. Here, we present a complete picture of the phonon distribution in a functioning nanotube transistor including the G and the radial breathing modes, the Raman-inactive zone boundary K mode and the intermediate-frequency mode populated by anharmonic decay. The effective temperatures of the high- and intermediate-frequency phonons are considerably higher than those of acoustic phonons, indicating a phonon-decay bottleneck. Most importantly, inclusion of scattering by substrate polar phonons is needed to fully account for the observed electronic transport behaviour.

The polarized carbon nanotube thin film LED

We demonstrate a light emitting p-i-n diode made of a highly aligned film of separated (99%) semiconducting carbon nanotubes, self-assembled from solution. By using a split gate technique, we create p- and n-doped regions in the nanotube film that are separated by a micron-wide gap. We inject p- and n-type charge carriers into the device channel from opposite contacts and investigate the radiative recombination using optical micro-spectroscopy. We find that the threshold-less light generation efficiency in the intrinsic carbon nanotube film segment can be enhanced by increasing the potential drop across the junction, demonstrating the LED-principle in a carbon nanotube film for the first time. The device emits infrared light that is polarized along the long axes of the carbon nanotubes that form the aligned film.

Gate-Variable Light Absorption and Emission in a Semiconducting Carbon Nanotube

We investigate the gate field dependence of light absorption and emission of an individual, suspended semiconducting carbon nanotube using Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopies. We find a strong reduction in the absorption strength and a red shift of the E(33) state of the nanotube with increasing gate field. The photoluminescence from the E(11) state is quenched even stronger. We explain these observations in terms of field-doping and its effects on both the radiative and nonradiative decay rates of the excitons. Thus, gate field-induced doping constitutes an effective means of controlling the optical properties of carbon nanotube devices.

Carbon nanotube photo- and electroluminescence in longitudinal electric fields.

The photoluminescence of a partially suspended, semiconducting carbon nanotube that forms the active channel of a field-effect transistor is quenched and red-shifted upon application of a longitudinal electrical (source-drain) field. The quenching can be explained by a loss of oscillator strength and an increased Auger-like nonradiative decay of the E(11) exciton. The spectral shifts are due to drain-field-induced doping that leads to enhanced dielectric screening. Electroluminescence due to electron impact excitation of E(11) excitons is red-shifted and broadened with respect to the zero-field photoluminescence. A combination of screening and heating of the carbon nanotube can explain both spectral shift and broadening of the electrically induced light emission.