Random telegraph noise in metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes

TL;DR

This paper investigates the random telegraph noise in metallic carbon nanotubes, attributing it to defect transitions activated by electron scattering, and highlights the role of defect motion in 1/f noise in CNTs.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of RTN in metallic CNTs and links defect dynamics to noise characteristics, offering new insights into noise mechanisms in nanoscale conductors.

Findings

RTN is caused by defect transitions between metastable states.

Mean lifetimes depend on bias, gate voltage, and temperature.

Defect motion significantly influences 1/f noise in CNTs.

Abstract

We have investigated random telegraph noise (RTN) observed in individual metallic carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Mean lifetimes in high- and low-current states, shigh and slow, have been studied as a function of bias-voltage and gate-voltage as well as temperature. By analyzing the statistics and features of the RTN, we suggest that this noise is due to the random transition of defects between two metastable states, activated by inelastic scattering with conduction electrons. Our results indicate an important role of defect motions in the 1=f noise in CNTs.