Ultra Narrow PbS Nanorod Field Emitter

• Published in: Journal of physical chemistry. C Vol. 116; no. 34; pp. 18564 - 18570
• Main Authors: Thupakula, Umamahesh, Bal, J. K, Debangshi, Anupam, Khan, Ali Hossain, Dalui, Amit, Acharya, Somobrata
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Columbus, OH American Chemical Society 30.08.2012
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Electron states and collective excitations in thin films, multilayers, quantum wells, mesoscopic and nanoscale systems; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Field emission, ionization, evaporation, and desorption; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Physics; Quantum wires; Self-assembly; Electronic properties; Transport properties; Semiconductor materials; Tunnel effect; Field emission; Self-assembled layers; Strong coupling; Nanostructures; Electron field emission; Nanometer scale; Scanning tunneling microscopy; Self-assembly; Electronic structure; Bias voltage; Electron interaction; Transport processes; Miniaturization; Nanorod; Nanostructured materials; Nanotechnology; Fowler Nordheim tunneling
• ISSN: 1932-7447; 1932-7455
• DOI: 10.1021/jp3074927

Investigating the electronic properties of a single ultra narrow semiconductor nanorod remains a significant challenge in nanotechnology that may lead to the miniaturization of electronic devices. We explore the electronic properties of ultra narrow PbS nanorod using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. The tunneling spectroscopic properties of an isolated and self-assembled PbS nanorods exhibit nonresonant tunneling of electrons and showed large tunnel current after exceeding certain critical bias voltage. A crossover from the direct to the Fowler–Nordheim tunneling regime is observed after exceeding the critical bias voltage corresponding to the field emission properties at higher bias. Suppression in the field emission property is evidenced from the self-assembled PbS nanorods owing to the strong electronic coupling between the adjacent nanorods. Studying the electronic transport properties of a single nanorod with field emission properties provides an opportunity to recognize miniaturized device at nanoscale.