A one step approach to B-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes

Author(s)
Paola Ayala, Wolfgang Plank, Alexander Grüneis, Esko Kauppinen, Mark Rümmeli, Hans Kuzmany, Thomas Pichler
Abstract

Tailoring the electronic properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes by chemical modification through incorporation of heteroatoms within the tube walls represents a key method for the applicability of these structures in semiconductor technology. For p-type doping experimental studies on the synthesis of B doped single-walled carbon nanotubes have been reported using substitution reactions, arc discharge and laser ablation. However, synthesis using the up-scalability of the widely used chemical vapor deposition approach has not been successful so far. In this work, we present an enhanced CVD approach using high vacuum and promoting the use of solely one liquid precursor containing B and C to synthesize B-doped single walled nanotubes with unique characteristics on the subject of controlled "low doping". In comparison to non-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes, these tubes have exceptional stability. From Raman and TEM we observe a very low defect concentration concomitant with small nanotube bundles containing 3 to 5 tubes with a narrow diameter distribution (0.9 to 1.5 nm). The defect concentration is significantly lower than in pure carbon nanotube reference samples. The overall B content and the bonding environment of the incorporated B were probed in detail for the first time by XPS. We identified different B bonding environments at less than 1 at%. This highlights the applicability of a rigid band model improving the accessibility of these tubes with controlled p-type doping in nano- and optoelectronic devices.

Organisation(s)
Electronic Properties of Materials, Dynamics of Condensed Systems
External organisation(s)
Leibniz-Institut für Festkörper- und Werkstoffforschung Dresden, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Aalto University
Journal
Journal of Materials Chemistry
Volume
18
Pages
5676-5681
No. of pages
6
ISSN
0959-9428
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/B809050E
Publication date
2008
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103015 Condensed matter
Portal url
https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/a-one-step-approach-to-bdoped-singlewalled-carbon-nanotubes(4ac8cfa4-c9e8-4ca6-bf0c-7932ed699723).html