Low-Temperature Electroluminescence Excitation Mapping of Excitons and Trions in Short-Channel Monochiral Carbon Nanotube Devices

Correlation Measurements for Carbon Nanotubes with Quantum Defects

Single-photon sources are essential building blocks for the development of photonic quantum technology. Regarding potential practical application, an on-demand electrically driven quantum-light emitter on a chip is notably crucial for photonic integrated circuits. Here, we propose functionalized single-walled carbon nanotube field-effect transistors as a promising solid-state quantum-light source by demonstrating photon antibunching behavior via electrical excitation. The sp3 quantum defects were formed on the surface of (7, 5) carbon nanotubes by 3,5-dichlorophenyl functionalization, and individual carbon nanotubes were wired to graphene electrode pairs. Filtered electroluminescent defect-state emission at 77 K was coupled into a Hanbury Brown and Twiss experiment setup, and single-photon emission was observed by performing second-order correlation function measurements. We discuss the dependence of the intensity correlation measurement on electrical power and emission wavelength, highlighting the challenges of performing such measurements while simultaneously analyzing acquired data. Our results indicate a route toward room-temperature electrically triggered single-photon emission.

Infrared Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Chirality-Sorted Carbon Nanotube Films

An important goal in carbon nanotube optoelectronics is to achieve a high-performance near-infrared light source. But there are still many challenges such as the purity of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) chirality, nonradiative defects, thin-film quality, and device structure design. Here, we realize infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on chirality-sorted (10, 5) SWCNT network films, which operate at a low bias voltage and emit at a telecom O band of 1290 nm. Asymmetric palladium (Pd) and hafnium (Hf) contacts are used as electrodes for hole and electron injection, respectively. However, the large Schottky barrier at the interface of the SWCNTs and the Hf electrode, primarily resulting from the polymer wrapped on the nanotube surface during the sorting process, leads to inefficient electron injection and thus a low electroluminescence efficiency. We find that the efficiency of electron injection can be improved by the local doping of the nanotubes with dielectric layers of YOX-HfO2, which reduces the Schottky barrier at the SWCNT/Hf interface. Accordingly, the (10, 5) SWCNT film-based LED achieves an external quantum efficiency of larger than 0.05% without any optical coupling structure. With further improvement, we expect that such an infrared light source will have great application potential in the carbon nanotube monolithic optoelectronic integrated system and on-chip optical interconnection, especially in the field of short-distance optical fiber communications and data center.

An electroluminescent and tunable cavity-enhanced carbon-nanotube-emitter in the telecom band

Emerging photonic information processing systems require chip-level integration of controllable nanoscale light sources at telecommunication wavelengths. Currently, substantial challenges remain in the dynamic control of the sources, the low-loss integration into a photonic environment, and in the site-selective placement at desired positions on a chip. Here, we overcome these challenges using heterogeneous integration of electroluminescent (EL), semiconducting carbon nanotubes (sCNTs) into hybrid two dimensional - three dimensional (2D-3D) photonic circuits. We demonstrate enhanced spectral line shaping of the EL sCNT emission. By back-gating the sCNT-nanoemitter we achieve full electrical dynamic control of the EL sCNT emission with high on-off ratio and strong enhancement in the telecommunication band. Using nanographene as a low-loss material to electrically contact sCNT emitters directly within a photonic crystal cavity enables highly efficient EL coupling without compromising the optical quality of the cavity. Our versatile approach paves the way for controllable integrated photonic circuits.

Electroluminescence from Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with Quantum Defects

Individual single-walled carbon nanotubes with covalent sidewall defects have emerged as a class of photon sources whose photoluminescence spectra can be tailored by the carbon nanotube chirality and the attached functional group/molecule. Here we present electroluminescence spectroscopy data from single-tube devices based on (7, 5) carbon nanotubes, functionalized with dichlorobenzene molecules, and wired to graphene electrodes. We observe electrically generated, defect-induced emissions that are controllable by electrostatic gating and strongly red-shifted compared to emissions from pristine nanotubes. The defect-induced emissions are assigned to excitonic and trionic recombination processes by correlating electroluminescence excitation maps with electrical transport and photoluminescence data. At cryogenic conditions, additional gate-dependent emission lines appear, which are assigned to phonon-assisted hot-exciton electroluminescence from quasi-levels. Similar results were obtained with functionalized (6, 5) nanotubes. We also compare functionalized (7, 5) electroluminescence data with photoluminescence of pristine and functionalized (7, 5) nanotubes redox-doped using gold(III) chloride solution. This work shows that electroluminescence excitation is selective toward neutral defect-state configurations with the lowest transition energy, which in combination with gate-control over neutral versus charged defect-state emission leads to high spectral purity.

Recent Advances in Structure Separation of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes and Their Application in Optics, Electronics, and Optoelectronics

Structural control of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with uniform properties is critical not only for their property modulation and functional design but also for applications in electronics, optics, and optoelectronics. To achieve this goal, various separation techniques have been developed in the past 20 years through which separation of high-purity semiconducting/metallic SWCNTs, single-chirality species, and even their enantiomers have been achieved. This progress has promoted the property modulation of SWCNTs and the development of SWCNT-based optoelectronic devices. Here, the recent advances in the structure separation of SWCNTs are reviewed, from metallic/semiconducting SWCNTs, to single-chirality species, and to enantiomers by several typical separation techniques and the application of the corresponding sorted SWCNTs. Based on the separation procedure, efficiency, and scalability, as well as, the separable SWCNT species, purity, and quantity, the advantages and disadvantages of various separation techniques are compared. Combined with the requirements of SWCNT application, the challenges, prospects, and development direction of structure separation are further discussed.

Nanoscale Patterning of Carbon Nanotubes: Techniques, Applications, and Future

Carbon nanotube (CNT) devices and electronics are achieving maturity and directly competing or surpassing devices that use conventional materials. CNTs have demonstrated ballistic conduction, minimal scaling effects, high current capacity, low power requirements, and excellent optical/photonic properties; making them the ideal candidate for a new material to replace conventional materials in next-generation electronic and photonic systems. CNTs also demonstrate high stability and flexibility, allowing them to be used in flexible, printable, and/or biocompatible electronics. However, a major challenge to fully commercialize these devices is the scalable placement of CNTs into desired micro/nanopatterns and architectures to translate the superior properties of CNTs into macroscale devices. Precise and high throughput patterning becomes increasingly difficult at nanoscale resolution, but it is essential to fully realize the benefits of CNTs. The relatively long, high aspect ratio structures of CNTs must be preserved to maintain their functionalities, consequently making them more difficult to pattern than conventional materials like metals and polymers. This review comprehensively explores the recent development of innovative CNT patterning techniques with nanoscale lateral resolution. Each technique is critically analyzed and applications for the nanoscale-resolution approaches are demonstrated. Promising techniques and the challenges ahead for future devices and applications are discussed.