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Nano Research 2008, 1(4): 321-332 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-008-8034-3
Research Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 01 October 2008

Imaging Electronic Structure of Carbon Nanotubes by Voltage-Contrast Scanning Electron Microscopy

Show Author's Information Aravind Vijayaraghavan1( ),  Sabine Blatt1,2,  Christoph Marquardt1,2,  Simone Dehm1,  Raghav Wahi1<,  Frank Hennrich1,  Ralph Krupke1( )
Institut für NanotechnologieForschungszentrum KarlsruheD-76344Eggenstein-LeopoldshafenGermany
Physikalisches InstitutUniversität KarlsruheD-76021KarlsruheGermany

§ Present address: Rice University, Houston, TX 77251, USA

Keywords:
Carbon nanotubes, electronic properties, electrostatics, voltage-contrast scanning electron microscopy
Cite this article:
Vijayaraghavan A, Blatt S, Marquardt C, et al. Imaging Electronic Structure of Carbon Nanotubes by Voltage-Contrast Scanning Electron Microscopy. Nano Research, 2008, 1(4): 321-332. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-008-8034-3
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

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 profile 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 confirmed 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 finite 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 fill a void in electronic characterization of molecular device architectures.


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About this article

Imaging Electronic Structure of Carbon Nanotubes by Voltage-Contrast Scanning Electron Microscopy

Show Author's information Aravind Vijayaraghavan1( ), Sabine Blatt1,2, Christoph Marquardt1,2, Simone Dehm1, Raghav Wahi1<, Frank Hennrich1, Ralph Krupke1( )
Institut für NanotechnologieForschungszentrum KarlsruheD-76344Eggenstein-LeopoldshafenGermany
Physikalisches InstitutUniversität KarlsruheD-76021KarlsruheGermany

§ Present address: Rice University, Houston, TX 77251, USA

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 profile 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 confirmed 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 finite 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 fill a void in electronic characterization of molecular device architectures.

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

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Publication history

Received: 30 May 2008
Revised: 27 August 2008
Accepted: 27 August 2008
Published: 01 October 2008
Issue date: August 2008

Copyright

© Tsinghua Press and Springer-Verlag 2008

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Ferdinand Evers, Matthias Hettler and David John for helpful discussions. The research was funded by the Initiative and Networking Fund of the Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren and equipment grant from Agilent Technologies.

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