title: Photocurrent imaging of charge transport barriers in carbon nanotube devices.
abstract: The realization of high-performance electrical devices incorporating single-wall carbon nanotubes critically depends on the minimization of charge transport barriers in the tubes and at the contacts. Herein we demonstrate photocurrent imaging as a fast and effective tool to locate such barriers within individual metallic nanotubes contacted by metal electrodes. The locally induced photocurrents directly reflect the existence of built-in electric fields associated with the presence of depletion layers at the contacts or structural defects along the tubes.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Festkoerperforschung, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Kannan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burghard
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scolari
authors.forename: Alf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mews
mesh_terms: D017097:Electric Impedance; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004579:Electron Transport; D004581:Electronics; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization / Q000379:methods*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon