Mobile ambipolar domain in carbon-nanotube infrared emitters.
We spatially resolve the infrared light emission from ambipolar carbon-nanotube field-effect transistors with long-channel lengths. Electrons and holes are injected from opposite contacts into a single nanotube molecule. The ambipolar domain, where electron and hole currents overlap, forms a microscopic light emitter within the carbon nanotube. We can control its location by varying gate and drain voltages. At high electric fields, additional stationary spots appear due to defect-assisted Zener tunneling or impact ionization. The laterally resolved measurement provides valuable insight into the transistor behavior, complementary to electronic device characteristics.
IBM Research Division, T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598, USA.
Marcus
M
Freitag
Jia
J
Chen
J
J
Tersoff
James C
JC
Tsang
Qiang
Q
Fu
Jie
J
Liu
Phaedon
P
Avouris