Controlling exciton decay dynamics in semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes by surface acoustic waves

M. E. Regler, H. J. Krenner, A. A. Green, M. C. Hersam, A. Wixforth, A. Hartschuh*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

We show that the photoluminescence intensity and decay dynamics of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotube films can be remotely controlled by surface acoustic waves (SAW) launched on the piezoelectric substrate LiNbO 3. Time-resolved measurements in the picosecond regime reveal that photoluminescence quenching results from a decrease of the radiative recombination rate by up to 25% for the accessible SAW amplitudes. The SAW-induced piezoelectric field acts as a quasi-static perturbation that polarizes the luminescent exciton state reducing the oscillator strength of the radiative transition following a quadratic field dependence. Surface acoustic waves could be used for the remote and contact-free electrical control of high-speed electronic and optoelectronic nanotube-based devices.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)39-44
Number of pages6
JournalChemical Physics
Volume413
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 21 2013

Funding

This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) through the Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and HA4405/4-1. HJK acknowledges support by the DFG via the Emmy Noether Program (KR3790/2-1). MCH acknowledges support by the National Science Foundation (DMR-1006391 and DMR-1121262) and the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative.

Keywords

  • Exciton decay dynamics
  • Single-walled carbon nanotubes
  • Surface acoustic waves

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

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