Single electron tunneling as a possible conduction mechanism in diamond like carbon film

TL;DR

This paper proposes that electron tunneling and Coulomb blockade phenomena explain the nonlinear and step-like current-voltage characteristics observed in diamond-like carbon films, suggesting a conduction mechanism involving nanoparticle tunneling.

Contribution

It introduces the idea that Coulomb blockade and tunneling between nanoparticles are responsible for conduction in diamond-like carbon films, a novel interpretation for these materials.

Findings

Observation of step-like I-V characteristics.

Identification of Coulomb blockade as a conduction mechanism.

Implication that similar behaviors in other carbon structures are also due to Coulomb blockade.

Abstract

Nonlinear current voltage characteristics and in some cases also step like characteristics were observed in diamond like carbon films. We suggest that the transport mechanism is tunneling between conducting nanoparticles in the films and the observation of step like structures is a manifestation of Coulomb blockade found for the first time in these films. We point out that the origin of similar current voltage characteristics observed in other carbon structures can be also Coulomb blockade phenomenon.