Electrical transport properties of a CNT/C<Subscript>60</Subscript>/CNT hybrid junction with closed end CNT leads using Green’s function method

We investigate transport properties of an all-carbon molecular device consisting of a CNT/C₆₀/CNT hybrid system with closed end (5,5) CNT leads. Two different ways of coupling are considered for C₆₀ molecule through one and five atoms to the cap-edges of CNTs. Our calculations are based on the Green’s function method in the nearest neighbor tight-binding approximation in the coherent regime. In this paper, the sensitivity of electron transport on the geometry of the CNT electrodes-C₆₀ interface is shown. Within the framework of the Landauer-Buttiker formalism, the electrical transmission and current-voltage characteristic are calculated at room temperature. We have investigated the effect of a gate voltage on the current in the considered geometry. In the considered structure, the appearance of the conductance resonances is a manifestation of resonant states of CNT caps, which lie within the HOMO-LUMO gap.     

Ultrafast Fiske effect in semiconductor superlattices

The current flowing across a semiconductor superlattice in tilted electric and magnetic fields is known to exhibit resonant enhancement, when Landau states of neighboring wells align at certain ratios of the field strengths. We show that the ultrafast version of this effect, in which coherent electron wave packets are involved, has a profound analogy to the Fiske effect in superconductor Josephson junctions and superfluid weak links, in that the coupling of the tunneling-induced charge oscillations (magneto-Bloch versus Josephson oscillations) to another oscillator (in-plane cyclotron oscillations versus external oscillator modes) opens an elastic rectifying transport channel. We explore the superlattice effect both theoretically and experimentally, and find that the transient self-induced current can be adequately modeled if the damping of both types of coupled electron oscillations is properly taken into account.     

Properties of a metal-ceramic cathode

The characteristics of a metal-ceramic (MC) cathode designed for nanosecond electron accelerators are studied in relation to the size of metal particles, their density on the ceramic surface, and the type of ceramics. A high emissivity of the MC cathode at a moderate electric field in the diode tube is demonstrated. This allows one to significantly sharpen the electron beam and increase its current (power). The possibility of controlling the emissivity of the MC cathode by varying the composition of the MC plate is established.     

Role of inter-tube coupling and quantum interference on electrical transport in carbon nanotube junctions

Due to excellent transport properties, Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) show a lot of promise in sensor and interconnect technology. However, recent studies indicate that the conductance in CNT/CNT junctions are strongly affected by the morphology and orientation between the tubes. For proper utilization of such junctions in the development of CNT based technology, it is essential to study the electronic properties of such junctions. This work presents a theoretical study of the electrical transport properties of metallic Carbon nanotube homo-junctions. The study focuses on discerning the role of inter-tube interactions, quantum interference and scattering on the transport properties on junctions between identical tubes. The electronic structure and transport calculations are conducted with an Extended Hückel Theory-Non Equilibrium Green's Function based model. The calculations indicate conductance to be varying with a changing crossing angle, with maximum conductance corresponding to lattice registry, i.e. parallel configuration between the two tubes. Further calculations for such parallel configurations indicate onset of short and long range oscillations in conductance with respect to changing overlap length. These oscillations are attributed to inter-tube coupling effects owing to changing π orbital overlap, carrier scattering and quantum interference of the incident, transmitted and reflected waves at the inter-tube junction.     

Can the HVL help the mechanical X‐ray tube characterization?

High‐intensity X‐ray beams are usually characterized by their kVp (kilovoltage peak) value and half‐value layer (HVL). While the first parameter is reasonably well known (apart from accelerating potential fluctuations), on the second, there is a greater deal of uncertainty. The HVL depends on the used filtration, the effective kVp value and on some of the X‐ray tube mechanical features, such as the anode angle. This last parameter is not always provided by the tube manufacturer, so we may question if the HVL dependence on the anode angle can be used to extract information on this angle. We tried to give an answer to this question using two different numerical models and a full Monte Carlo (MC) program to simulate the photon field produced by the X‐ray tube for several anode angles. One of the numerical models was developed by the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine and gives X‐ray spectra and HVL values for a wide range of kVp values and anode angles. The other model, named SpekCalc, is based on a theoretical work developed by Gavin Poludniowski and Phil Evans. The MC simulation was done using the PENELOPE code for coupled electron‐photon transport. Using the computed photon spectra, HVLs were obtained and compared with experimental HVL values obtained with a Philips PW 2184/00 X‐ray tube with a 26° tungsten anode and accelerating potentials in the range of 40–90 kVp. We are now able to show the PENELOPE simulation can deliver the correct anode angle value. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Resonant transport through a carbon nanotube junction exposed to an ac field

The electron transport through a carbon nanotube (CNT) double barrier junction exposed to an external electromagnetic field is studied. The electron spectrum in the quantum well (QW) formed by the junction bears relativistic features. We examine how the ac field affects the level quantization versus the ac field parameters and chirality. We find that the transport through the junction changes dramatically versus the ac field frequency and amplitude. These changes are pronounced in the junction's differential conductance, which allows judgment about the role of relativistic effects in the CNT QW structures.     

On the question of short-period oscillations of the collector voltage during transverse electron focusing

Giant short-period oscillations during transverse electron focusing at high emitter voltages have been observed in bismuth samples with a superlattice on the surface. A model is proposed which explains the onset of the oscillations, their position on the magnetic-field scale, and their intensification and shift along the magnetic-field scale with increasing current (this shift depending on the direction of current flow) and which can also account for the absence of oscillations in fields which are multiples of the field of the first oscillation. In this model the oscillations are attributed to the appearance of resonant surface (edge) states and their contribution to the electron transport. Pis'ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 68, No. 12, 887–892 (25 December 1998)     

Carbon nanotube electron windmills: a novel design for nanomotors

We propose a new drive mechanism for carbon nanotube (CNT) motors, based upon the torque generated by a flux of electrons passing through a chiral nanotube. The structure of interest comprises a double-walled CNT formed from, for example, an achiral outer tube encompassing a chiral inner tube. Through a detailed analysis of electrons passing through such a "windmill," we find that the current, due to a potential difference applied to the outer CNT, generates sufficient torque to overcome the static and dynamic frictional forces that exist between the inner and outer walls, thereby causing the inner tube to rotate.     

Probing structural integrity of single walled carbon nanotubes by dynamic and static compression

We report on a first study of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) after application of dynamic (shock) compression. The experiments were conducted at 19 GPa and 36 GPa in a recovery assembly. For comparison, an experiment at a static pressure of 36 GPa was performed on the material from the same batch in a diamond anvil cell (DAC). After the high pressure treatment the samples were characterized by Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). After exposure to 19 GPa of shock compression the CNT material exhibited substantial structural damage such as CNT wall disruption, opening of the tube along its axis (“unzipping”) and tube shortening (“cutting”). Dynamic compression to 36 GPa resulted in essentially complete CNT destruction whereas at least a fraction of the nanotubes was recovered after 36 GPa of static compression though severely damaged. The results of these shock wave experiments underline the prospect of using SWCNTs as reinforcing units in material WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Quantum interference in nanotube electron waveguides

We have calculated the quantum conductance of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) waveguide by using a tight binding-based Greens function approach. Our calculations show that the slow conductance oscillations as well as the fast conductance oscillations are manifestations of the intrinsic quantum interference properties of the conducting SWNTs, being independent of the defect and disorder of the SWNTs. And zigzag type tubes do not show the slow oscillations. The SWNT electron waveguide is also found to have distinctly different transport behavior depending on whether or not the length of the tube is commensurate with a (3N+1) rule, with N the number of basic carbon repeat units along the nanotube length.     

Alternating current transport property for a two-channel interacting quantum wire

We study theoretically the alternating current (ac) transport property through a two-channel clean quantum wire of finite length in the presence of both inter-channel and intra-channel electron-electron (e-e) interactions. Using the bosonization technique and linear response theory, we have obtained analytical expressions of the ac conductance. Interestingly, the ac conductance oscillations, with two different frequencies, form a beat which governs the behavior of the transport property in the presence of inter-channel e-e interaction. This result provides us with a new way to control the transport property of narrow quantum wires by engineering the Fermi velocities in the two different channels, i.e., the electron density.     

Ballistic transport in semiconductor nanostructures: From quasi-classical oscillations to novel THz-emitters

By suitable design it is possible to achieve quasi-ballistic transport in semiconductor nanostructures over times up to the ps-range. Monte-Carlo simulations reveal that under these conditions phase-coherent real-space oscillations of an electron ensemble, generated by fs-pulses become possible in wide potential wells. Using a two-color pump-and-probe technique we have been able to observe this new phenomenon in excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions. Apart from its fundamental significance, ballistic transport in nanostructures can also be used for high-efficiency coherent THz-sources. The concept of these THz-emitters and its experimental confirmation will also be presented.     

Multiple-frequency current oscillations in GaAs-AlGaAs quantum wells containing a thin semi-insulating layer

We have investigated non-equilibrium electron transport properties of a quantum well with an inserted thin semi-insulating potential barrier layer in nonlinear bias using a time-dependent simulation technique. We find that the charge redistribution with time in the whole structure has an important effect on the final current-voltage (I-V) curves. The results show that there are two evident current hysteresis phenomena in the negative differential conductance regions and the inserted semi-insulating potential barrier layer induces the formation of multiple emitter quantum wells, which leads to high-frequency terahertz current oscillations with multiple-frequency relations around the valley of current.     

Majorana零模式的电导与低压振荡散粒噪声

Majorana零能量模式是自身的反粒子,在拓扑量子计算中有重要应用.本文研究量子点与拓扑超导纳米线混合结构,通过量子点的输运电荷检测Majorana零模式.利用量子主方程方法,发现有无Majorana零模式的电流与散粒噪声存在明显差别.零模式导致稳态电流差呈反对称,在零偏压处显示反常电导峰.电流差随零模式分裂能的增大而减小,随量子点与零模式耦合的增强而增大.另一方面,零模式导致低压散粒噪声相干振荡,零频噪声显著增强.分裂能导致相干振荡愈加明显且零频噪声减小,而量子点与零模式的耦合使零频噪声增强.当量子点与电极非对称耦合时,零模式使电子由反聚束到聚束输运,亚泊松噪声增强为超泊松噪声.稳态电流差结合低压振荡的散粒噪声能够揭示Majorana零模式是否存在.     

Current to frequency conversion in a Josephson circuit

The voltage oscillations which occur in an ideally current-biased Josephson junction were proposed to make a current standard for metrology. We demonstrate similar oscillations in a more complex Josephson circuit derived from the Cooper pair box: the quantronium. When a constant current I is injected in the gate capacitor of this device, oscillations develop at the frequency f(B)=I/2e, with e the electron charge. We detect these oscillations through the sidebands induced at multiples of f(B) in the spectrum of a microwave signal reflected on the circuit, up to currents I exceeding 100 pA. We discuss the potential interest of this current-to-frequency conversion experiment for metrology.     

碳纳米管阴极强流脉冲发射特性实验

 在2 MeV直线感应加速器注入器平台上研究了采用浸渍涂覆方法制备的大面积碳纳米管阴极发射体的强流发射特性。研究结果表明：在脉冲高压电场下,碳纳米管阴极具有强流电子束发射能力,发射电流密度较大;碳纳米管阴极发射电子过程为场致等离子体发射。实验过程中,阴极端取样电阻环收集到的最大发射电流达350 A,阳极端法拉第筒收集的发射电流为167 A,最大阴极发射电流密度为19.4 A/cm²。     

Coulomb blockade and hopping transport behaviors of donor-induced quantum dots in junctionless transistors

The ionized dopants, working as quantum dots in silicon nanowires, exhibit potential advantages for the development of atomic-scale transistors. We investigate single electron tunneling through a phosphorus dopant induced quantum dots array in heavily n-doped junctionless nanowire transistors. Several subpeaks splittings in current oscillations are clearly observed due to the coupling of the quantum dots at the temperature of 6 K. The transport behaviors change from resonance tunneling to hoping conduction with increased temperature. The charging energy of the phosphorus donors is approximately 12.8 meV. This work helps clear the basic mechanism of electron transport through donor-induced quantum dots and electron transport properties in the heavily doped nanowire through dopant engineering.     

Knudsen Gas in a Finite Random Tube: Transport Diffusion and First Passage Properties

We consider transport diffusion in a stochastic billiard in a random tube which is elongated in the direction of the first coordinate (the tube axis). Inside the random tube, which is stationary and ergodic, non-interacting particles move straight with constant speed. Upon hitting the tube walls, they are reflected randomly, according to the cosine law: the density of the outgoing direction is proportional to the cosine of the angle between this direction and the normal vector. Steady state transport is studied by introducing an open tube segment as follows: We cut out a large finite segment of the tube with segment boundaries perpendicular to the tube axis. Particles which leave this piece through the segment boundaries disappear from the system. Through stationary injection of particles at one boundary of the segment a steady state with non-vanishing stationary particle current is maintained. We prove (i) that in the thermodynamic limit of an infinite open piece the coarse-grained density profile inside the segment is linear, and (ii) that the transport diffusion coefficient obtained from the ratio of stationary current and effective boundary density gradient equals the diffusion coefficient of a tagged particle in an infinite tube. Thus we prove Fick’s law and equality of transport diffusion and self-diffusion coefficients for quite generic rough (random) tubes. We also study some properties of the crossing time and compute the Milne extrapolation length in dependence on the shape of the random tube.     

Monte Carlo simulation of in-plane spin-polarized transport in GaAs/GaAlAs quantum well in the three-subband approximation

We develop a Monte Carlo (MC) tool incorporated with the three-subband approximation model to investigate the in-plane spin-polarized transport in GaAs/GaAlAs quantum well. Using the tool, the effects of the electron occupation of higher subbands and the intersubband scattering on the spin dephasing have been studied. Compared with the corresponding results of the simple one-subband approximation model, the spin dephasing length is reduced four times under 0.125\,kV/cm of driving electric field at 300K by the MC tool incorporated with the three-subband approximation model, indicating that the three-subband approximation model predicts significantly shorter spin dephasing length with temperature increasing. Our simulation results suggest that the effects of the electron occupation of higher subbands and the intersubband scattering on the spin-dependent transport of GaAs 2-dimensional electron gas need to be considered when the driving electric field exceeds the moderate value and the lattice temperature is above 100K. The simulation by using the MC tool incorporated with the three-subband approximation model also indicates that, under a certain driving electric field and lattice temperature, larger channel widths cause spins to be depolarized faster. Ranges of the three components of the spins are different for three different injected spin polarizations due to the anisotropy of spin--orbit interaction.     

Effect of interaction between AC electric field and phonon oscillation of metal cluster on tip-growth of carbon nanotube

The paper reports effect of interaction between AC electric field and metal cluster sitting at tip end of the carbon nanotube (CNT) on CNT tip-growth in CVD theoretically. For this purpose, a theoretical model based on phonon oscillations of the metal catalyst and influence of AC electric field on these oscillations is presented. Results show that there is an optimum AC electric field which optimizes growth of ultra-long CNTs. Then it is demonstrated that, in comparison with CNTs in the absence of field, CNTs under optimum electric field grow more. In addition, relation between optimum temperature and amplitude of AC electric field is investigated and it is shown that increasing electric field leads to higher optimum temperature. Finally, Investigation of effect of catalyst type on optimum electric field demonstrates the optimum field for various catalysts is different due to their different characteristics including van der Waals interaction with carbon, atomic mass and number of free charge carriers per each atom. All results are discussed and interpreted.