Electrostatic effects on contacts to carbon nanotube transistors

We use numerical simulations to investigate the effect of electrostatics on the source and drain contacts of carbon nanotube field-effect transistors. We find that unscreened charge on the nanotube at the contact-channel interface leads to a potential barrier that can significantly hamper transport through the device. This effect is largest for intermediate gate voltages and for contacts near the ohmic-Schottky crossover, but can be mitigated with a reduction in the gate oxide thickness. These results help to elucidate the important role that contact geometry plays in the performance of carbon nanotube electronic devices.