Enhanced Current Carrying Capability of Au-ZnSe Nanowire-Au Nanostructure via High Energy Electron Irradiation

To enhance the performance of nanoelectronics based on Au-ZnSe nanowire (NW)-Au (M-S-M) nanostructure, the effect of irradiation of the high energy electron beam emitted from the electron gun of a transmission electron microscope operated at 200 kV on the current carrying capability of M-S-M nanostructure is investigated in situ. Focusing the high energy electron beam on a Au electrode, the current carrying capability of the M-S-M nanostructure can be enhanced significantly with respect to the case of the electron beam being switched off. In this case, the electrons in the electrode are excited by the incident high energy electron and can freely tunnel through the Schottky barriers at the metal-semiconductor NW (M-S) nanocontacts, which can effectively reduce Joule heat dissipation and remarkably improve the current carrying capability of M-S-M nanostructure due to the fact that the current carrying capability highly depends on the Joule heating effect of Schottky barriers at M-S nanocontacts.