Electrical transport through single-wall carbon nanotube–anodic aluminum oxide–aluminum heterostructures

Abstract

Aluminum foils were anodized in sulfuric acid solution to form thick porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) films of thickness approximately 6 microm. Electrodes of carboxyl-functionalized single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin films were inkjet printed on the anodic oxide layer and the electrical characteristics of the as-obtained SWCNT-AAO-Al structures were studied. Nonlinear current-voltage transport and strong temperature dependence of conduction through the structure was measured. The microstructure and chemical composition of the anodic oxide layer was analyzed using transmission and scanning electron microscopy as well as x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Schottky emission at the SWCNT-AAO and AAO-Al interfaces allowed by impurity states in the anodic aluminum oxide film together with ionic surface conduction on the pore walls of AAO gives a reasonable explanation for the measured electrical conduction. Calcined AAO is proposed as a dielectric material for SWCNT-field effect transistors.

Thin micropatterned multi-walled carbon nanotube films for electrodes

“…However, exploiting the unique properties of CNTs (electrical conductivity, porous structure, flexibility, etc.) requires their immobilization on various substrates in a controlled manner either by deposition [13][14][15], transfer [16][17][18][19][20][21] or by direct synthesis [22][23][24] with well-defined structure and geometry. In electrical applications, the contact resistance at the substrate-CNT interface [2,17,25], mechanical robustness and integrity [17,26] as well as charging/discharging behavior of the devices [9][10][11][12] are among the most important parameters to be taken into account.…”

Template-Based Electrodeposition Growth Mechanism of Metal Nanotubes

“…Since carbon nanotubes were first discovered, 1 there has been much work on the behavior of nanotubes. [2][3][4][5] It has been found that nanotubes not only have many properties in common with a wide range of nanomaterials, such as quantum size effects, surface effects and macroscopic quantum tunneling, but also display potentially useful properties, for instance, direct electronic transmission and biological compatibility. 6 The special tubular structure is also of great interest.…”

Fast light-switchable polymeric carbon nitride membranes for tunable gas separation

“…Most importantly, the peaks observed on high resolution O 1 s spectra were attributed to AAO moieties and organic oxygen moieties were not detected (Supplementary Fig. 3c ) 42 . We also measured the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectra of AAOCN and blank AAO membranes (Supplementary Fig.…”