arXiv subjects

M. S. Fuhrer

Publications and source records attributed to M. S. Fuhrer.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2008

Density inhomogeneity driven percolation metal-insulator transition and dimensional crossover in graphene nanoribbons

Transport in graphene nanoribbons with an energy gap in the spectrum is considered in the presence of random charged impurity centers. At low carrier density, we predict and establish that the system exhibits a density inhomogeneity driven two dimensional metal-insulator transition that is in the percolation universality class. For very narrow graphene nanoribbons (with widths smaller than the disorder induced length-scale), we predict that there should be a dimensional crossover to the 1D percolation universality class with observable signatures in the transport gap. In addition, there should be a crossover to the Boltzmann transport regime at high carrier densities. The measured conductivity exponent and the critical density are consistent with this percolation transition scenario.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2007

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Performance Limits of Graphene Devices on SiO2

The linear dispersion relation in graphene[1,2] gives rise to a surprising prediction: the resistivity due to isotropic scatterers (e.g. white-noise disorder[3] or phonons[4-8]) is independent of carrier density n. Here we show that acoustic phonon scattering[4-6] is indeed independent of n, and places an intrinsic limit on the resistivity in graphene of only 30 Ohm at room temperature (RT). At a technologically-relevant carrier density of 10^12 cm^-2, the mean free path for electron-acoustic phonon scattering is >2 microns, and the intrinsic mobility limit is 2x10^5 cm^2/Vs, exceeding the highest known inorganic semiconductor (InSb, ~7.7x10^4 cm^2/Vs[9]) and semiconducting carbon nanotubes (~1x10^5 cm^2/Vs[10]). We also show that extrinsic scattering by surface phonons of the SiO2 substrate[11,12] adds a strong temperature dependent resistivity above ~200 K[8], limiting the RT mobility to ~4x10^4 cm^2/Vs, pointing out the importance of substrate choice for graphene devices[13].

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2007

Charged Impurity Scattering in Graphene

Since the experimental realization of graphene1, extensive theoretical work has focused on short-range disorder2-5, ''ripples''6, 7, or charged impurities2, 3, 8-13 to explain the conductivity as a function of carrier density sigma_(n)[1,14-18], and its minimum value sigma_min near twice the conductance quantum 4e2/h[14, 15, 19, 20]. Here we vary the density of charged impurities nimp on clean graphene21 by deposition of potassium in ultra high vacuum. At non-zero carrier density, charged impurity scattering produces the ubiquitously observed1, 14-18 linear sigma_(n) with the theoretically-predicted magnitude. The predicted asymmetry11 for attractive vs. repulsive scattering of Dirac fermions is observed. Sigma_min occurs not at the carrier density which neutralizes nimp, but rather the carrier density at which the average impurity potential is zero10. Sigma_min decreases initially with nimp, reaching a minimum near 4e2/h at non-zero nimp, indicating that Sigma_min in present experimental samples does not probe Dirac-point physics14, 15, 19, 20 but rather carrier density inhomogeneity due to the impurity potential3, 9, 10.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2006

Transmission Line Impedance of Carbon Nanotube Thin Films for Chemical Sensing

We measure the resistance and frequency-dependent gate capacitance of carbon nanotube (CNT) thin films in ambient, vacuum, and under low-pressure (10E-6 torr) analyte environments. We model the CNT film as an RC transmission line and show that changes in the measured capacitance as a function of gate bias and analyte pressure are consistent with changes in the transmission line impedance due to changes in the CNT film resistivity alone; the electrostatic gate capacitance of the CNT film does not depend on gate voltage or chemical analyte adsorption. However, the CNT film resistance is enormously sensitive to low pressure analyte exposure.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2006

Hooge's Constant of Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistors

The 1/f noise in individual semiconducting carbon nanotubes (s-CNT) in a field effect transistor configuration has been measured in ultra-high vacuum and following exposure to air. The amplitude of the normalized current spectral noise density is independent of source-drain current, indicating the noise is due to mobility rather than number fluctuations. Hooge's constant for s-CNT is found to be 9.3 plus minus 0.4x10^-3. The magnitude of the 1/f noise is substantially degreased by exposing the devices to air.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2005

Temperature Control of Electromigration to form Gold Nanogap Junctions

Controlled electromigration of gold nanowires of different cross-sectional areas to form nanogap junctions is studied using a feedback method. A linear correlation between the cross sectional area of the gold nanowires and the power dissipated in the junction during electromigration is observed, indicating that the feedback mechanism operates primarily by controlling the temperature of the junction during electromigration. We also show that the role of the external feedback circuit is to prevent thermal runaway; minimization of series resistance allows controlled electromigration to a significant range of junction resistances with a simple voltage ramp.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2005

Electric Field-Dependent Charge-Carrier Velocity in Semiconducting Carbon Nanotubes

Charge transport in semiconducting single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) with Schottky-barrier contacts has been studied at high bias. We observe nearly symmetric ambipolar transport with electron and hole currents significantly exceeding 25 micron-ampere, the reported current limit in metallic SWNTs due to optical phonon emission. Four simple models for the field-dependent velocity (ballistic, current saturation, velocity saturation, and constant mobility) are studied in the unipolar regime; the high-bias behavior is best explained by a velocity saturation model with a saturation velocity of 2 x 10^7 cm/s.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2005

Four-point resistance of individual single-wall carbon nanotubes

We have studied the resistance of single-wall carbon nanotubes measured in a four-point configuration with noninvasive voltage electrodes. The voltage drop is detected using multiwalled carbon nanotubes while the current is injected through nanofabricated Au electrodes. The resistance at room temperature is shown to be linear with the length as expected for a classical resistor. This changes at cryogenic temperature; the four-point resistance then depends on the resistance at the Au-tube interfaces and can even become negative due to quantum-interference effects.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2005

Nanotransfer Printing of Organic and Carbon Nanotube Thin-Film Transistors on Plastic Substrates

A printing process for high-resolution transfer of all components for organic electronic devices on plastic substrates has been developed and demonstrated for pentacene (Pn), poly (3-hexylthiophene) and carbon nanotube (CNT) thin-film transistors (TFTs). The nanotransfer printing process allows fabrication of an entire device without exposing any component to incompatible processes and with reduced need for special chemical preparation of transfer or device substrates. Devices on plastic substrates include a Pn TFT with a saturation, field-effect mobility of 0.09 cm^2 (Vs)^-1 and on/off ratio approximately 10^4 and a CNT TFT which exhibits ambipolar behavior and no hysteresis.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2004

High-Performance Carbon Nanotube Transistors on SrTiO3/Si Substrates

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been grown via chemical vapor deposition on high-kappa dielectric SrTiO3/Si substrates, and high-performance semiconducting SWNT field-effect transistors have been fabricated using the thin SrTiO3 as gate dielectric and Si as gate electrode. The transconductance per channel width is 8900 S/m. The high transconductance cannot be explained by the increased gate capacitance; it is proposed that the increased electric field at the nanotube-electrode interface due to the high-kappa SrTiO3 decreases or eliminates the nanotube-electrode Schottky barrier.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2000

Scanned Probe Microscopy of Electronic Transport in Carbon Nanotubes

We use electrostatic force microscopy and scanned gate microscopy to probe the conducting properties of carbon nanotubes at room temperature. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes are shown to be diffusive conductors, while metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes are ballistic conductors over micron lengths. Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes are shown to have a series of large barriers to conduction along their length. These measurements are also used to probe the contact resistance and locate breaks in carbon nanotube circuits.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗