Advances in carbon nanotube n-type doping: Methods, analysis and applications

Great advances in semiconductor technologies continue to be made with the demand for cheap, non-toxic, easily processed and environmentally friendly technologies on the rise. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are viewed as a promising candidate that satisfies these criteria however proper doping of the SWCNTs to provide n-type behaviour has been a persistent issue. In recent years, great advances have been made in providing air stable and efficient n-type doping of SWCNTs. This review presents the most recent and promising methods of n-type doping SWCNTs highlighted for their simplicity and quality of electrical properties. The analysis and major applications of these semiconductors with a focus on thermoelectric devices and transistors are discussed.