Nonlinear transport in carbon quantum dot electronic devices: Experiment and theory

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are a promising material for electronic applications due to their easy fabrication and interesting semiconductor properties. Further, CQDs exhibit quantum confinement and charging effects, which may lead not only to improved performances but also to devices with novel functionalities. Here, we investigate the electronic transport of CQDs embedded on epoxy polymer. Our samples are coupled to interdigitated electrodes with individually addressable microelectrodes. Remarkably, the current–voltage characteristics show strongly nonlinear regimes at room temperature, ranging from Schottky diode to Coulomb blockade and even negative differential conductance (NDC) behavior. We propose a master equation theoretical framework which allows us to compute current curves that agree well with the observations. This model emphasizes the importance of interacting dots and electron traps in generating a cohesive picture that encompasses all transport regimes. Overall, our results suggest that CQDs constitute a versatile materials platform for 3D integrated electronic purposes.