Combined spectroscopic and transport studies of nanotubes

A single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) is a cylinder-like molecule with a diameter of about 1 nm and a length of up to several 100 microns. Their physical properties can be derived from graphene. They are expected to be the constituents for the smallest possible electronic devices because they are mechanically very stable and their electronic properties can be metallic and semiconducting, depending on their diameter. Spectroscopic characterization is an indispensable tool for determination of the SWNT diameter and electronic properties for further technological application of the SWNT such as the gate in a field effect transistor. The research proposal focuses on the characterisation of SWNTs by optical spectroscopy, electron microscopy and transport measurements. Furthermore inelastic electron loss spectroscopy and photoemission spectroscopy will be used to characterize the SWNT bulk properties. The goal of the research proposal is to realize devices, on which both, the morphology and the electronic properties can be probed on the same SWNT. The measured quantities such as photoconductivity should be compared to theoretical results.