Article Title

Imaging electronic structure of carbon nanotubes by voltage-contrast scanning electron microscopy

Authors

Aravind Vijayaraghavan, Institut für Nanotechnologie, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Sabine Blatt, Institut für Nanotechnologie, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany Physikalisches Institut, Universitt Karlsruhe, D-76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
Christoph Marquardt, Institut für Nanotechnologie, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany Physikalisches Institut, Universitt Karlsruhe, D-76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
Simone Dehm, Institut für Nanotechnologie, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Raghav Wahi, Institut für Nanotechnologie, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Frank Hennrich, Institut für Nanotechnologie, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Ralph Krupke, Institut für Nanotechnologie, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

Keywords

Carbon nanotubes, electronic properties, voltage-contrast scanning electron microscopy, electrostatics

Abstract

We introduce voltage-contrast scanning electron microscopy (VC-SEM) for visual characterization of the electronic properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes. VC-SEM involves tuning the electronic band structure and imaging the potential profi le along the length of the nanotube. The resultant secondary electron contrast allows to distinguish between metallic and semiconducting carbon nanotubes and to follow the switching of semiconducting nanotube devices, as confi rmed by in situ electrical transport measurements. We demonstrate that high-density arrays of individual nanotube devices can be rapidly and simultaneously characterized. A leakage current model in combination with fi nite element simulations of the device electrostatics is presented in order to explain the observed contrast evolution of the nanotube and surface electrodes. This work serves to fi ll a void in electronic characterization of molecular device architectures.

Graphical Abstract

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-008-8034-3

Publisher

Tsinghua University Press

Recommended Citation

Aravind Vijayaraghavan,Sabine Blatt,Christoph Marquardt,Simone Dehm,Raghav Wahi,Frank Hennrich,Ralph Krupke, Imaging electronic structure of carbon nanotubes by voltage-contrast scanning electron microscopy. NanoRes.2008, 1: 321-332