Switching electron current in a semiconductor nanowire via controlling the carrier injection from the electrode

Well characterized in situ electron field-emission measurements have been made on individual ZnO nanowires (NWs) inside a transmission electron microscope. It is found that the electron field-emission current from a semiconductor NW is determined not only by the NW/vacuum interface, but also by the Schottky barrier formed at the electrode/NW interface. It is demonstrated that the electron injection efficiency through the Schottky barrier and therefore the final electron emission current can be modulated by electronic excitations in the metal electrode, and it is proposed that this phenomenon could be used to design Schottky barrier switches for nanoelectronics. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.