Photocurrent from a carbon nanotube diode with split-gate and asymmetric contact geometry

Abstract

We fabricated a Ti/Pd asymmetrically contacted single carbon nanotube (CNT) field-effect transistor (FET) with split-gates. Transfer characteristics can be explained if the Schottky barrier for electrons is lower at the Pd contact than it is at the Ti contact. Strong rectification is observed when the gates are unbiased, and the rectification direction can be inverted with the appropriate gate bias. When operated as an FET the device has an on/off ratio of 1 × 107. Under illumination, photocurrent can only be observed with opposite split-gate bias. Open circuit voltage (VOC) and short circuit current (ISC) increase with increasing opposite polarity split-gate bias, representing the first demonstration of the modulation of VOC and ISC in an asymmetric contact CNT FET.