Design criteria for transparent single-wall carbon nanotube thin-film transistors

Unalan H. E., Fanchini G., Kanwal A., Du Pasquier A., Chhowalla M.

NANO LETTERS, vol.6, no.4, pp.677-682, 2006 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 6 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2006
  • Doi Number: 10.1021/nl052406l
  • Journal Name: NANO LETTERS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.677-682
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

A study based on two-dimensional percolation theory yielding quantitative parameters for optimum connectivity of transparent single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) thin films is reported. Optimum SWNT concentration in the filtrated solution was found to be 0.1 mg/L with a volume of 30 mL. Such parameters lead to SWNT fractions in the films of approximately Phi = 1.8 x 10(-3), much below the metallic percolation threshold, which is found to be similar to Phi(c) = 5.5 x 10(-3). Therefore, the performance of transparent carbon nanotube thin-film transistors is limited by the metallic SWNTs, even below their percolation threshold. We show how this effect is related to hopping or tunneling between neighboring metallic tubes.