Optoelectronic Switch and Memory Devices Based on Polymer‐Functionalized Carbon Nanotube Transistors

Associating carbon nanotubes with conjugated polymers or molecules has been recently recognized as an efficient way to improve performances of organic electronic devices and to achieve new functionality, in particular for optoelectronic applications. This approach maintains the main advantages of organic electronics for low cost, flexible and/or transparent applications. A particularly interesting example of such a nanotube/polymer combination consists of a carbon nanotube field effect transistor coated with a polymer thin film (1; 2). Indeed, such a device can ideally combine the very high carrier mobility of carbon nanotubes (100000 cm2/V.s) with the excellent optical properties of polymers (or molecules in general). Carbon nanotube transistors can, by themselves, emit or detect photons at wavelengths defined by the nanotube chirality. But, to extend their capabilities in optoelectronics, it is important to be able to tune these wavelengths independently of the nanotube structure. Functionalizing the nanotube with a polymer is an efficient way to achieve such a goal. In the present study (2), we demonstrate that drastic photo-induced modifications of the electrical characteristics of self-assembled (3) nanotube transistors functionalized by photo-conductive polymers can be achieved.