A diode based on a chemically-doped SWCNT

Carbon nanotube p-n junction diodes are expected to be the building block of next generation integrated circuits. A p-i-n junction diode was prepared from a SWCNT with one end p-type doped, the other end n-type doped and the middle segment undoped. The p-type doping was performed using triethyloxonium hexachloroantimonate to form an air stable charge transfer complex (SWCNT⁺-SbCl₆^-) while polyethylene imine was used as an electron donor for the n-type doping. The device showed an excellent performance with a high rectification ratio of 10³ and a low reverse saturation current of 23 pA.