Reversal of current blockade through multiple trap correlations

Abstract

Current noise in electronic devices usually arises from uncorrelated charging events, with individual transitions resolved only at low temperatures. However, in 1-D nanotube-based transistors, we have observed random telegraph signal (RTS) with unprecedented signal-to-noise ratio at room temperature. In addition, we find evidence for cooperative multi-trap interactions that give rise to a characteristically terminated RTS: current blockade induced by one trap is found to fully reverse through electrostatic `passivation' by another. Our observations are well described by a robust quantum transport model that demonstrates how strong correlation and fast varying potentials can resolve energetically proximal states along a 1-D channel.