Ultra Narrow PbS Nanorod Field Emitter

Investigating the electronic properties of a single ultra narrow semiconductor nanorod remains a significant challenge in nanotechnology that may lead to the miniaturization of electronic devices. We explore the electronic properties of ultra narrow PbS nanorod using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. The tunneling spectroscopic properties of an isolated and self-assembled PbS nanorods exhibit nonresonant tunneling of electrons and showed large tunnel current after exceeding certain critical bias voltage. A crossover from the direct to the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling regime is observed after exceeding the critical bias voltage corresponding to the field emission properties at higher bias. Suppression in the field emission property is evidenced from the self-assembled PbS nanorods owing to the strong electronic coupling between the adjacent nanorods. Studying the electronic transport properties of a single nanorod with field emission properties provides an opportunity to recognize miniaturized device at nanoscale.