Quantitative thermal imaging of single-walled carbon nanotube devices by scanning Joule expansion microscopy.
Electrical generation of heat in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and subsequent thermal transport into the surroundings can critically affect the design, operation, and reliability of electronic and optoelectronic devices based on these materials. Here we investigate such heat generation and transport characteristics in perfectly aligned, horizontal arrays of SWNTs integrated into transistor structures. We present quantitative assessments of local thermometry at individual SWNTs in these arrays, evaluated using scanning Joule expansion microscopy. Measurements at different applied voltages reveal electronic behaviors, including metallic and semiconducting responses, spatial variations in diameter or chirality, and localized defect sites. Analytical models, validated by measurements performed on different device structures at various conditions, enable accurate, quantitative extraction of temperature distributions at the level of individual SWNTs. Using current equipment, the spatial resolution and temperature precision are as good as ∼100 nm and ∼0.7 K, respectively.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.
Xu
X
Xie
Kyle L
KL
Grosse
Jizhou
J
Song
Chaofeng
C
Lu
Simon
S
Dunham
Frank
F
Du
Ahmad E
AE
Islam
Yuhang
Y
Li
Yihui
Y
Zhang
Eric
E
Pop
Yonggang
Y
Huang
William P
WP
King
John A
JA
Rogers
D003198:Computer Simulation; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D020527:Microscopy, Scanning Probe / Q000379:methods*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*
D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon