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Environmental Electrometry with Luminescent Carbon Nanotubes
Jonathan C Noé1, Manuel Nutz1, Jonathan Reschauer1
1Fakultät für Physik, Munich Quantum Center, and Center for NanoScience (CeNS) , Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München , Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1 , 80539 München , Germany.
Nano Letters
|June 21, 2018
Summary
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with localized excitons detect electrostatic fluctuations with elementary charge sensitivity. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) substrates significantly reduce spectral wandering, enabling advanced nanodevice applications.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Localized excitons in luminescent carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are sensitive to their local electrostatic environment.
- Understanding charge trap dynamics is crucial for optimizing CNT-based nanodevices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To utilize CNT excitons for studying electrostatic fluctuations with high sensitivity.
- To compare charge trap dynamics on silicon oxide and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) substrates.
- To explore the potential of CNTs in electrometric nanodevices with all-optical readout.
Main Methods:
- Cryogenic photoluminescence spectroscopy of individual CNTs.
- Monitoring temporal evolution of photoluminescence spectra.
- Characterization of charge trap defect dynamics on different dielectric supports.
Main Results:
- Sensitivity to electrostatic fluctuations down to the elementary charge was achieved.
- A one order of magnitude reduction in photoluminescence spectral wandering was observed for CNTs on hBN terraces compared to silicon oxide.
- Higher areal densities of charge fluctuators were found near hBN terrace ridges.
Conclusions:
- CNTs serve as highly sensitive probes for environmental charge fluctuations.
- Atomically flat hBN terraces minimize spectral wandering, enhancing CNT performance.
- CNTs offer significant potential for developing novel electrometric nanodevices with all-optical readout.
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