Ambipolar field-effect transistor behavior of Gd@C82 metallofullerene peapods

Abstract

Transport properties of C60 fullerene peapods and Gd@C82 metallofullerene peapods are investigated by using the field effect in a gated structure. The results show that C60 peapods exhibit unipolar p-type characteristics, whereas Gd@C82 peapods show ambipolar both p- and n-type characteristics. This difference in transport behavior can be explained in terms of a bandgap narrowing of the peapods. One of the important findings is that tunable electronic properties of peapods are achieved by using the different types of encapsulated fullerene molecules.