Modulating transmission properties of nanoscale transistors by dipole effects near contacts

We theoretically demonstrate that a dipole layer on the electrode can modulate the transmission properties of nanoscale devices by influencing the contact properties, through first principles simulations on carbon nanotube based field effect transistors. The dipole layer is realized by potassium adsorption on Au electrodes, which shifts the electrostatic potential at the near contact region significantly. The dipoles parallel to the direction of the bias voltage may act as a supplement to the effect of gate voltages, while the perpendicular dipoles may modify the interface barrier of the contacts.