Direct observation of mode selective electron-phonon coupling in suspended carbon nanotubes

Raman spectra of individual pristine suspended single-walled carbon nanotubes are observed under high electrical bias. The LO and TO modes of the G band behave differently with respect to voltage bias, indicating preferential electron-phonon coupling and nonequilibrium phonon populations, which cause negative differential conductance in suspended devices. By correlating the electron resistivity to the optically measured phonon population, the data are fit using a Landauer model to determine the key scattering parameters.