High-performance carbon nanotube field-effect transistors with local electrolyte gates

Abstract

We have fabricated local-electrolyte-gated carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNTFETs), in which the electrolyte functions as a local top gate. The local-electrolyte-gated CNTFETs in the electrolyte solution provided high performance in terms of subthreshold slope and transconductance, resulting from the modulation of the conduction in the carbon nanotube channel and the large gate capacitance. Using the local-electrolyte-gated CNTFETs, real-time protein detection based on the channel conductance modulation was successfully demonstrated. Our local-electrolyte-gated CNTFETs are promising candidates for the development of nanoscale electronic and molecular-sensing device applications. © 2008 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.