Title: Photovoltaic effect in single carbon nanotube-based Schottky diodes

Authors: Jiangbo Zhang, Ning Xi, Hongzhi Chen, King W. C. Lai, Guangyong Li, Uchechukwu Wejinya

Addresses: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, 2120 Engineering Build, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. ' Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, 2120 Engineering Build, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. ' Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, 2120 Engineering Build, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. ' Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, 2120 Engineering Build, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. ' Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 348 Benedum Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 1526, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 204 Mechanical Engineering Bldg., Fayetteville, AR 72701-120, USA

Abstract: Photovoltaic effects in individual single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) based Schottky diodes were investigated for infrared detection in this paper. Different contact conditions (symmetric and asymmetric CNT-metal contacts) have been studied for optimising the performance of SWCNT-based infrared detector. Experiments demonstrated that the asymmetric structure could improve the photodiode performance by increasing the signal-to-dark current ratio up to two orders of magnitude higher than a symmetric device. With the perfect photodiode I-V characteristic curves, SWCNTs show a strong potential of applications in solar collection, infrared sensing and nanogenerators.

Keywords: carbon nanotubes; CNT; Schottky diodes; infrared sensors; photovoltaic effects; solar collection; nanogenerators.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2008.020266

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2008 Vol.1 No.2, pp.108 - 118

Published online: 11 Sep 2008 *

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