Carbon nanotube (CNT) photodiodes have potential to convert light into electrical current with high efficiency. However, previous experiments have revealed photocurrent quantum yield (PCQY) well below 100%. In this work, we show that axial electric field increases the PCQY of CNT photodiodes. In optimal conditions our data suggest PCQY >...
Carbon nanotube (CNT) photodiodes are a promising system for high-efficiency photocurrent generation due to the strong Coulomb interactions that can drive carrier multiplication. If the Coulomb interactions are too strong, however, exciton formation can hamper photocurrent generation. Here, we explore, experimentally and theoretically, the effect of the environmental dielectric constant...
In nanoscale materials, the Coulombic interaction between electrons are stronger than in bulk materials. These stronger interactions, caused by confinement and reduced dielectric screening, have interesting consequences for light-matter interactions. In carbon nanotubes (CNTs), strong interactions can enhance the impact ionization process, and thus assist photocurrent generation in CNTs. Conversely,...
Carbon Nanotubes are a unique family of nanostructures that have shown remarkable promise for mechanical, electrical, and optical applications. Fundamentally similar to the earlier discovered Buckminsterfullerene (C₆₀), carbon nanotubes are hollow cylinders formed from a single sheet of carbon atoms. The research presented in this dissertation investigates several carbon nanotube...