Open AccessThe polarized carbon nanotube thin film LED
Author(s) -
M. Kinoshita,
M. Steiner,
Michael Engel,
Joshua P. Small,
Alexander A. Green,
Mark C. Hersam,
Ralph Krupke,
E. E. Méndez,
Phaedon Avouris
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.025738
Subject(s) - carbon nanotube , materials science , optoelectronics , nanotube , carbon nanotube quantum dot , thin film , diode , optics , nanotechnology , physics
We demonstrate a light emitting p-i-n diode made of a highly aligned film of separated (99%) semiconducting carbon nanotubes, self-assembled from solution. By using a split gate technique, we create p- and n-doped regions in the nanotube film that are separated by a micron-wide gap. We inject p- and n-type charge carriers into the device channel from opposite contacts and investigate the radiative recombination using optical micro-spectroscopy. We find that the threshold-less light generation efficiency in the intrinsic carbon nanotube film segment can be enhanced by increasing the potential drop across the junction, demonstrating the LED-principle in a carbon nanotube film for the first time. The device emits infrared light that is polarized along the long axes of the carbon nanotubes that form the aligned film.