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| Open AccessElectrostatic melting in a single-molecule field-effect transistor with applications in genomic identification
DNA hybridization of two single-strands to form a double-stranded helix is widely used for genomic identification applications. Here, Vernicket al. record duplex formation of 20-mer oligonucleotide using a single-molecule field-effect transistor, where DNA kinetics is affected by electrostatic bias.
- Sefi Vernick
- , Scott M. Trocchia
- & Kenneth L. Shepard
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Article
| Open AccessHigh-performance and compact-designed flexible thermoelectric modules enabled by a reticulate carbon nanotube architecture
Thermoelectric modules can generate electricity directly from heat and have applications to waste heat-energy conversion. Here Zhouet al. have fabricated a thermoelectric module based on an air-stable n-type single-walled carbon nanotube sheet which can reach a high power factor of 1500 μWm−1K−2.
- Wenbin Zhou
- , Qingxia Fan
- & Sishen Xie
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Article
| Open AccessPreserving π-conjugation in covalently functionalized carbon nanotubes for optoelectronic applications
While covalent modification of carbon nanotubes allows their use in a wide range of applications, it often results in disruption of their optoelectronic properties. Here, the authors design a cycloaddition reaction that preserves the nanotubes electronic structure.
- Antonio Setaro
- , Mohsen Adeli
- & Stephanie Reich
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Article
| Open AccessCarbon nanotube dry adhesives with temperature-enhanced adhesion over a large temperature range
Adhesives typically lose adhesion strength at high temperatures. Here, the authors design a carbon nanotube dry adhesive that becomes stronger with rising temperature, and ascribe this counterintuitive behavior to a thermally-induced nanoscale interlocking mechanism.
- Ming Xu
- , Feng Du
- & Liming Dai
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Article
| Open AccessNear-infrared exciton-polaritons in strongly coupled single-walled carbon nanotube microcavities
The formation of exciton-polaritons in organic semiconductors by strong coupling to a cavity is a promising route towards electrically pumped organic lasers. Here, Graf et al. demonstrate strong coupling from semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes in the near infrared frequency range.
- Arko Graf
- , Laura Tropf
- & Malte C. Gather
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Article
| Open AccessExperimental determination of excitonic band structures of single-walled carbon nanotubes using circular dichroism spectra
The experimental determination of band structure of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is a challenging task, and often must be theoretically predicted. Here, the authors separate SWCNTs in high purity and experimentally determine their excitonic band structures using circular dichroism spectra.
- Xiaojun Wei
- , Takeshi Tanaka
- & Hiromichi Kataura
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Article
| Open AccessBlocking transport resonances via Kondo many-body entanglement in quantum dots
The many-body Kondo effect manifests in low-temperature Coulomb blockaded quantum dots as a zero-bias conductance peak, which arises due to charge-fluctuation-driven transport. Here, the authors demonstrate a counterintuitive Kondo effect in which these conduction channels are blocked.
- Michael Niklas
- , Sergey Smirnov
- & Milena Grifoni
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Article
| Open AccessAtomic scale observation of oxygen delivery during silver–oxygen nanoparticle catalysed oxidation of carbon nanotubes
Probing the dynamics of atomic scale catalytic processes leads to improved mechanistic understanding and catalyst design. Here, the authors use environmental electron microscopy and first-principles calculations to semi-quantitatively analyse silver nanoparticle catalysed carbon nanotube oxidation.
- Yonghai Yue
- , Datong Yuchi
- & Jingyue Liu
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Article
| Open AccessCavity-enhanced Raman microscopy of individual carbon nanotubes
Enhancement techniques are a viable route to improve the intrinsically weak Raman scattering intensity. Here the authors demonstrate Purcell enhancement of Raman scattering in a tunable, high-finesse microcavity and use it for Raman imaging of individual carbon nanotubes
- Thomas Hümmer
- , Jonathan Noe
- & David Hunger
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Article
| Open AccessAutomated circuit fabrication and direct characterization of carbon nanotube vibrations
Integrating carbon nanotubes into electronic devices requires quick and non-invasive imaging of the nanostructures for precision positioning. Here, the authors use the base of the nanotubes to nucleate the growth of optically visible organic nanocrystals, which thus enables simple microscopy.
- G. Zeevi
- , M. Shlafman
- & Y. E. Yaish
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Article
| Open AccessIndustrial-scale separation of high-purity single-chirality single-wall carbon nanotubes for biological imaging
Single-chirality, single-wall carbon nanotubes are attractive for bioimaging applications, however large-scale separation remains a challenge. Here, the authors utilize mixed surfactants for high-resolution single-chirality separation of (9,4) SWCNTs, demonstrating their improved performance for bioimaging.
- Yohei Yomogida
- , Takeshi Tanaka
- & Hiromichi Kataura
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Article
| Open AccessRational design of efficient electrode–electrolyte interfaces for solid-state energy storage using ion soft landing
The design and understanding of electrode–electrolyte interfaces is important for the development of improved energy storage devices. Here, the authors study the controlled deposition of molybdenum polyoxometalate anions onto carbon nanotube electrodes, and show this can result in increased specific capacitance.
- Venkateshkumar Prabhakaran
- , B. Layla Mehdi
- & Julia Laskin
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Review Article
| Open AccessCoupling carbon nanomaterials with photochromic molecules for the generation of optically responsive materials
The marriage of photochromic molecules with the rapidly expanding portfolio of nanocarbons is providing new multifunctional and responsive nanomaterials. Here, the authors review recent progress in such materials' fabrication and their possible implementations, and suggest future directions of study.
- Xiaoyan Zhang
- , Lili Hou
- & Paolo Samorì
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Article
| Open AccessGrowth of semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes with a narrow band-gap distribution
Growth of high-quality semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes is crucial for high-performance devices. Here, the authors report a partially carbon-coated cobalt nanoparticle catalyst which catalyzes growth of predominantly semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes with a narrow band-gap distribution.
- Feng Zhang
- , Peng-Xiang Hou
- & Hui-Ming Cheng
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Article
| Open AccessElemental superdoping of graphene and carbon nanotubes
Doping of low-dimensional graphitic materials with heteroatoms can enhance their catalytic, electrochemical and magnetic properties. Here, the authors report a tunable method to ‘superdope’ these materials with high levels of nitrogen, sulfur, or boron, via a simple fluorination and annealing procedure.
- Yuan Liu
- , Yuting Shen
- & Youwei Du
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Article
| Open AccessVisualizing the orientational dependence of an intermolecular potential
Intermolecular interactions underpin an array of physical and chemical phenomena. Here, the authors probe the three dimensional potential between fullerene molecules in different orientations showing that the positional variation in the intermolecular binding energy is dominated repulsive interactions.
- Adam Sweetman
- , Mohammad A. Rashid
- & Philip Moriarty
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Article
| Open AccessHigh-efficiency electrochemical thermal energy harvester using carbon nanotube aerogel sheet electrodes
Conversion of low-grade waste heat into electricity is an important energy harvesting strategy. Here, the authors fabricate carbon nanotube aerogel-based thermo-electrochemical cells, which are potentially low-cost and relatively high-efficiency materials for this application.
- Hyeongwook Im
- , Taewoo Kim
- & Yong Hyup Kim
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Article
| Open AccessSingle-ion adsorption and switching in carbon nanotubes
Single ion detection is typically performed with large devices rather than microelectronic devices. Here, the authors report the electrical detection of gaseous ions on single isolated carbon nanotubes, with a mechanism proposed based on ion-induced charge depletion in the nanostructures.
- Adam W. Bushmaker
- , Vanessa Oklejas
- & Stephen B. Cronin
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Article
| Open AccessDopant-specific unzipping of carbon nanotubes for intact crystalline graphene nanostructures
Atomic level engineering of graphene-based materials is highly demanded for the customized structures and properties. Here, the authors show heteroatom dopant-specific unzipping of carbon nanotubes as a reliable and controllable route to customized 'intact crystalline' graphene-based nanostructures.
- Joonwon Lim
- , Uday Narayan Maiti
- & Sang Ouk Kim
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Article
| Open AccessNickel supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes as hydrogen oxidation reaction catalyst in alkaline electrolyte
Cheap and efficient hydrogen oxidation catalysts are needed for low cost hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells. Here, the authors report that nickel nanoparticles supported on nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes have hydrogen oxidation activity similar to platinum-group-metals in alkaline electrolyte.
- Zhongbin Zhuang
- , Stephen A. Giles
- & Yushan Yan
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Article
| Open AccessAtomic scale simulation of carbon nanotube nucleation from hydrocarbon precursors
Atomic scale simulation of the nucleation and growth of carbon nanotubes is essential for understanding their growth mechanism. Here, the authors look at cap nucleation of nanotubes from hydrocarbon precursors, specifically probing the role of hydrogen in the early stages of growth.
- Umedjon Khalilov
- , Annemie Bogaerts
- & Erik C. Neyts
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Article
| Open AccessEfficient near-infrared up-conversion photoluminescence in carbon nanotubes
Photoluminescent objects absorb light and then relax by emitting photons, usually with a lower energy. Here, the authors show that carbon nanotubes also emit larger energy photons thanks to one-phonon-assisted up-conversion, suggesting that nanotubes could be used as near-infrared up-converters.
- Naoto Akizuki
- , Shun Aota
- & Yuhei Miyauchi
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Article
| Open AccessPhotoinduced spontaneous free-carrier generation in semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes
Photoinduced carrier-generation in individual semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes is controversial. Here, the authors demonstrate that free carriers can be generated even in the absence of dissociating interfaces by performing time-resolved microwave conductivity on solutions of dispersed nanotubes.
- Jaehong Park
- , Obadiah G. Reid
- & Garry Rumbles
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Article
| Open AccessPlanar carbon nanotube–graphene hybrid films for high-performance broadband photodetectors
Graphene has excellent electronic properties but its photoresponsivity is limited by low absorption and the ultrafast recombination of photoexcited carriers. Here, the authors demonstrate fast, high responsivity and broadband photodetectors by combining graphene with single-wall carbon nanotubes.
- Yuanda Liu
- , Fengqiu Wang
- & Rong Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessMolecular helices as electron acceptors in high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells
In organic photovoltaics, the best-performing devices are often based on fullerene derivatives as the electron acceptor counterpart. Here, the authors present new molecular electron acceptors with a helical structure and achieve 8.3% power conversion efficiency.
- Yu Zhong
- , M. Tuan Trinh
- & Colin Nuckolls
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Article
| Open AccessNitrogen-embedded buckybowl and its assembly with C60
Curved π-conjugated molecules have potentially interesting chemical and electronic properties but the harsh conditions required for their synthesis can make it difficult to incorporate heteroatoms. Here, the authors prepare a π-extended azacorannulene with nitrogen in its centre.
- Hiroki Yokoi
- , Yuya Hiraoka
- & Hiroshi Shinokubo
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Article
| Open AccessIntrinsically stretchable and transparent thin-film transistors based on printable silver nanowires, carbon nanotubes and an elastomeric dielectric
Stretchable displays need stretchable electronics to control them. Here, the authors create transparent and deformable thin-film transistors comprised of silver nanowire-based electrodes, a carbon nanotube network channel and a polyurethane-co-polyethylene oxide dielectric made using solution-based techniques.
- Jiajie Liang
- , Lu Li
- & Qibing Pei
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Article
| Open AccessMolecular interactions on single-walled carbon nanotubes revealed by high-resolution transmission microscopy
Probing local molecular properties is crucial for the rational designs of functional organic materials. Here, Umeyama et al. prepare a dimeric structure of a model π-aromatic compound on the sidewall of a carbon nanotube to be visualized by transmission electron microscopy at a single-molecule level.
- Tomokazu Umeyama
- , Jinseok Baek
- & Hiroshi Imahori
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Article
| Open AccessPrintable elastic conductors with a high conductivity for electronic textile applications
Printable electronics is highly desirable for high throughput device manufacture. Here, Matsuhisa et al. report an electric ink, made of a self-assembled network of sliver flakes on the surface of a fluorine rubber matrix, which exhibits high conductivity and mechanical durability to achieve this goal.
- Naoji Matsuhisa
- , Martin Kaltenbrunner
- & Takao Someya
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Article
| Open AccessAmbient solid-state mechano-chemical reactions between functionalized carbon nanotubes
Direct coupling between chemical groups on individual nanostructures may lead to new architectures and reactions. Here, the authors report an ambient mechano-chemical reaction between two different reactant carbon nanotube varieties, which produces condensation products and unzipping of the nanotube structure.
- Mohamad A. Kabbani
- , Chandra Sekhar Tiwary
- & Pulickel M. Ajayan
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Article
| Open AccessSelf-assembled three-dimensional and compressible interdigitated thin-film supercapacitors and batteries
It is challenging to construct three-dimensional thin-film energy-storage devices. Here the authors present supercapacitors and batteries based on layer-by-layer self-assembly of interdigitated thin films inside aerogels, demonstrating energy storage as well as compressibility in three-dimensional devices.
- Gustav Nyström
- , Andrew Marais
- & Mahiar M. Hamedi
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Clean carbon nanotubes coupled to superconducting impedance-matching circuits
Radio-frequency circuits offer fast low-noise detection of signals in carbon nanotubes, but incompatibilities in fabrication degrade the performance of the hybrid device. Here, the authors use a deterministic mechanical transfer to couple pristine nanotubes to a gigahertz superconducting matching circuit.
- V. Ranjan
- , G. Puebla-Hellmann
- & C. Schönenberger
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A carbon nanotube wall membrane for water treatment
Carbon nanotubes have been proposed for many forms of water treatment, although ultrafiltration nanotube-based membranes with very high flow rates remain rare. Here, the authors fabricate a membrane delivering water permeability close to 30,000 litres per square meter per hour at 1 bar.
- Byeongho Lee
- , Youngbin Baek
- & Yong Hyup Kim
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Article
| Open AccessElectrochemical polymerization of pyrene derivatives on functionalized carbon nanotubes for pseudocapacitive electrodes
Electrochemically active organic molecules are an important class of electrode materials for energy storage. Here, the authors report organic electrodes made of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and functionalized few-walled carbon nanotubes, which show promising electrochemical performance.
- John C. Bachman
- , Reza Kavian
- & Seung Woo Lee
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Energy transfer pathways in semiconducting carbon nanotubes revealed using two-dimensional white-light spectroscopy
Thin films of carbon nanotubes are been considered for energy harvesting and optoelectronic devices but their energy transfer pathways are largely unknown. Here, Mehlenbacher et al. use two-dimensional white-light spectroscopy to investigate the ultrafast energy redistribution in carbon nanotube films.
- Randy D. Mehlenbacher
- , Thomas J. McDonough
- & Martin T. Zanni
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Article
| Open AccessGate-controlled generation of optical pulse trains using individual carbon nanotubes
The photocurrent and luminescence of carbon nanotubes is governed by excitonic processes with diverse uses in nano-photonics. Here, Jiang et al.generate optical pulses from individual air-suspended carbon nanotubes under an application of square-wave gate voltages with control over pulse timing and duration.
- M Jiang
- , Y Kumamoto
- & Y. K. Kato
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Considerably improved photovoltaic performance of carbon nanotube-based solar cells using metal oxide layers
The interface between electrodes and active layers of electronic devices such as solar cells is crucial for the device performance. Here, the authors show that metal oxides MoOxand ZnO play an important role in reducing the electronic barrier at the interface in photovoltaic devices based on carbon nanotubes.
- Feijiu Wang
- , Daichi Kozawa
- & Kazunari Matsuda
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Nanoarchitectured materials composed of fullerene-like spheroids and disordered graphene layers with tunable mechanical properties
Type-II glass-like carbon is a widely used material with desirable physical properties for industrial applications. Here, the authors investigate its structure-property performance under compression, and propose a model to explain its unusual, and pressure-tunable, elastic and mechanical properties.
- Zhisheng Zhao
- , Erik F. Wang
- & Guoyin Shen
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Growth of high-density horizontally aligned SWNT arrays using Trojan catalysts
Single-walled carbon nanotube arrays have been proposed for use in electronics, but getting the tubes aligned and in high density is a very challenging task. Hu et al. show that catalyst particles dissolved in a substrate can slowly be brought to the surface, allowing continued controlled growth of nanotubes.
- Yue Hu
- , Lixing Kang
- & Jin Zhang
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Observation of decoherence in a carbon nanotube mechanical resonator
Mechanical resonators lose energy over time due to both dissipative and dephasing processes. Schneider et al. now use a fast time-domain technique to separate the influence of these two types of mechanism, and demonstrate that at high driving power, dephasing becomes the dominant factor.
- Ben H. Schneider
- , Vibhor Singh
- & Gary A. Steele
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Article |
Carbon nanotube network-silicon oxide non-volatile switches
The integration of carbon nanotubes with silicon is important for their incorporation into next-generation nano-electronics. Here, the authors demonstrate a non-volatile switch that utilizes carbon nanotube networks to electrically contact a conductive nano-crystal silicon filament in silica.
- Albert D. Liao
- , Paulo T. Araujo
- & Mildred S. Dresselhaus
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Article |
Sponge-like molecular cage for purification of fullerenes
Mixtures of various size fullerenes are available as a component of fullerene soot, but isolating pure fullerenes is a challenging task. Here, the authors use a porphyrin-based supramolecular cage that encapsulates fullerenes with high selectivity and releases C60by a simple washing technique.
- Cristina García-Simón
- , Marc Garcia-Borràs
- & Xavi Ribas
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Article
| Open AccessUltralow mode-volume photonic crystal nanobeam cavities for high-efficiency coupling to individual carbon nanotube emitters
Efficient coupling to photonic structures is essential to exploit the emission properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Here, Miura et al.demonstrate spontaneous emission coupling efficiency exceeding 85% from a single CNT to a silicon photonic crystal nanobeam cavity with an ultralow mode-volume.
- R. Miura
- , S. Imamura
- & Y. K. Kato
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Microwave purification of large-area horizontally aligned arrays of single-walled carbon nanotubes
Creating large-area horizontally aligned arrays of purely semiconducting tubes is one of the most daunting technical challenges in carbon nanotube electronics. Here, the authors introduce an approach using microwave radiation with microstrip antenna structures and demonstrate its effectiveness.
- Xu Xie
- , Sung Hun Jin
- & John A. Rogers
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Article
| Open AccessAggregation and morphology control enables multiple cases of high-efficiency polymer solar cells
Polymer solar cells promise a cost-effective way to harness solar energy, but cell performance is held back by limited choices of suitable materials. Here, Liu et al.demonstrate record cell efficiencies for multiple material combinations via a new approach of aggregation and morphology control.
- Yuhang Liu
- , Jingbo Zhao
- & He Yan
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Article
| Open AccessUnravelling the multilayer growth of the fullerene C60 in real time
Despite the technological relevance of molecular thin films, there is limited understanding of their growth on a molecular level. Here, the authors characterize the relevant processes in real time and determine energy parameters using a combination of X-ray techniques and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations.
- S. Bommel
- , N. Kleppmann
- & S. Kowarik
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Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes sorting with a removable solubilizer based on dynamic supramolecular coordination chemistry
Semiconducting single-wall nanotubes hold promise for the next generation of electronic devices, but separating them from metallic counterparts is still challenging. Here, the authors show how to sort semiconducting nanotubes by selectively stabilizing them in solution via a removable solubilizer.
- Fumiyuki Toshimitsu
- & Naotoshi Nakashima
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Fringing-field dielectrophoretic assembly of ultrahigh-density semiconducting nanotube arrays with a self-limited pitch
Carbon nanotubes offer a route to further reducing the size of electronic components. Here, the authors demonstrate a method to assemble semiconducting nanotubes into well-aligned, ultrahigh-density and uniform arrays using an alternating electric field between surface microelectrodes and the substrate.
- Qing Cao
- , Shu-jen Han
- & George S. Tulevski
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Identifying signatures of photothermal current in a double-gated semiconducting nanotube
Semiconducting carbon nanotubes have already demonstrated their potential for solar-cell and photodetector applications. Here, the authors use scanning photocurrent microscopy to show that the photocurrent generated in such nanotubes can be dominated by both photovoltaic and photothermal mechanisms.
- G. Buchs
- , S. Bagiante
- & G. A. Steele