Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Carbon Nanotube Electromechanical Piezoresistive Sensors

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 10; no. 9; pp. 3350 - 3354
• Main Authors: Helbling, Thomas, Roman, Cosmin, Hierold, Christofer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 08-09-2010
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; General equipment and techniques; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Materials science; Molecular electronics, nanoelectronics; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanotubes; Physics; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing; electromechanical sensors; noise; strain gauges; Carbon nanotube transistors; signal-to-noise ratio; Electronic properties; Transducers; Semiconductor materials; Nanotube devices; Field effect transistors; Carbon nanotubes; Signal-to-noise ratio; 1/f noise; Energy gap; Singlewalled nanotube; Bias voltage; Gallium tellurides; Sensors; Nanostructured materials; Gates
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl101031e

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of piezoresistive transducers based on carbon nanotube field effect transistors (CNFETs) is an essential yet unexplored performance metric. Here, we show that the SNR of CNFET piezoresistors made of small band gap semiconducting SWNTs (SGS-SWNTs) depends strongly on the gate bias voltage. The SNR is found by combining low frequency 1/f noise with the piezoresistive signal. We find that SGS-CNFET piezoresistors are best operated at device off-state, where strain resolution is maximal.