Controlled Ohmic and nonlinear electrical transport in inkjet-printed single-wall carbon nanotube films

Abstract

We present the fabrication and characterization of logic elements ͑transistors and interconnects͒ built using our recently developed inkjet-printer-controlled deposition of single-wall carbon nanotube network films. The method requires no preselection of "metallic" or "semiconducting" nanotubes. By selecting the number of prints on a specified region, it is possible to have low-density, nonlinear, gate-voltage controllable transistors or high-density, linear, high-current-throughput metallic interconnects without any gate-voltage response. Intermediate steps drive the films between the nonlinear and linear regimes with precise controllability. The transport mechanism in these films as a function of bias, gate voltage, and temperature dependence have been investigated and analyzed using junction properties of metal-semiconductors in the context of networks of carbon nanotubes.

Inkjet printed resistive and chemical‐FET carbon nanotube gas sensors

“…SWCNT-COOHs (Sigma-Aldrich, >90% CNT content and 3-6 at.% -COOH composition; arc discharge grown, then purified and functionalized in nitric acid) were dispersed in water by ultrasonic agitation, then centrifuged and the supernatant solution is separated and centrifuged again until a stable dark brown solution is achieved. The as-obtained stable aqueous dispersion of SWCNT-COOHs were inkjet printed on the electrode openings by a materials deposition printer (Dimatix DMP-2831, 10 pL nominal drop volume, drop spacing of 25 µm, single nozzle) [10]. The drop formation was monitored by a stroboscopic camera; and in addition, the piezo waveform and applied voltage was optimized to ensure single drop formation from the nozzle (Fig.…”

“…The sensor platform is a silicon die consisting of source-drain (S-D) and gate (G) electrodes and an embedded heating circuit [10] mounted on ceramic chip carriers. The channel is represented by the Aqueous solutions of carboxyl functionalized single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films are deposited on silicon chips by the inkjet printing technique.…”

“…In the case of low density film, the percolation path includes both metallic and semiconducting nanotubes, i.e. a distributed network of Schottky junctions and resistors is obtained with nonlinear current-voltage transfer properties and possible gate control [10,11].…”

Gas Sensing and Thermal Transport Through Carbon-Nanotube-Based Nanodevices

“…It is made by inkjet-printing carboxyl-functionalized SWCNTs on Si-chips between Pt electrodes on a 200 nm-thick thermal SiO 2 . By printing a small amount of SWCNTs on the chip, a gate-tunable semiconducting channel is formed, having p-type gate response between the electrodes [25][26][27]. The electrical conductance of the channel in the sensors is ≈0.5 μS with a relatively small gate effect (≈30 %) when varying the gate voltage from -5 V to +5 V. As the typical resistance of the devices may vary a lot, we have selected both highly-resistive (in the MΩ range) and weakly-resistive (in the kΩ range) sensors.…”

Incorporating nanomaterials with MEMS devices.

“…[~[ The printer is suitable to print fluids containing proteins [135], [136], nucleic acids, like DNA [137], [138], nanoparticles [139], nanotubes [140], [141], conductive polymers [142], etc. colloidal solution is known as the "coffee stain" effect, when significant lateral flow from the center to the edge while the film dries.…”