QUANTUM

CAPACITANCE
(study of three research papers)

Submitted by: Shubham Garg Guided by: Dr. Ravi

Msc Physics Hegde
16510081
 Quantum capacitance devices:S
luryi (1987)
V
If metal, total capacitance=geometrical capacitance
G

For 2DEG, shielding is partial.

grounded metal plate completely shields the quasistatic electric fields

emanating from charges on one side of the plate from penetrating
into the other side.
For a capacitor with 2DEG in Q.W. as middle plate, 2DEG only
partially shields the field to enter the second plate.
Thus total capacitance of the circuit is given by the series
combination of electrostatic capacitance and quantum capacitance.

A two-dimensional electron gas 2DEG used as grounded

middle plate in a three plates capacitor is not able to
completely screen the field emanating from one of the
outer plates, which partially penetrates through the 2DEG
and induces charge on the opposite plate. This shows that,
differently from a three-dimensional bulk, a low-dimensional
system, having a small density of states DOS, is not able to
accumulate enough charge to completely screen the external
field in its small spatial extension.
Total capacitance is series sum of insulator capacitor and the
quantum capacitance.
1/Ctotal
=1/Cins+1/CQ
CQ=e2g(EF
)
 Negative Q.C. of gated CN
L. Latessa, A. Pecchia, and A. Di Carlo

Author report on atomistic DFT calculations of the screening

properties of a coaxially gated CNT (10,0).
At low carrier densities the CNT exhibits a singular screening
behavior, turning from a poorly screening electron gas to a
classical metal and eventually resulting into an overscreening
situation.
A more detailed study of quantum capacitance shows that
CQ=e2g(EF)(K/K0)
where K= compressibility factor
K=K0, suggests that we ignore the electron electron interaction and
hence get back to the quantum capacitance,

CQ=e2g(EF
)
Author claims that CNT with small DOS may not only lead to poor
accumulation of charge, But for low carrier densities, it may
accumulate enough charge to overscreen this applied Field.

Author demonstrate that also the quantum capacitance of a small

diameter CNT cannot be correctly determined neglecting electron
electron interactions.
Experimental setup
 >For classical case, induced charge
is constant
>For DOS, induced charge is less
than classical case
>For DFT, induced charge varies
largely

Fig 2: plot of charge induced on CNT (VG=0.1mV) for different

calculations
As carrier density lowers, CQDFT tends
To infinite positive value. This
singularity
Behaviour corresponds to critical carrier
density(nTS) where CNT completely
Shields the applied field.
Effect of mechanical strain on Q.C.
Yuranan Hanlumyuang, Xiaobao Li, Pradeep Sharma

By now, we know that quantum capacitance can be negative.

Thus opening the possibility of enhancing the Ctotal of specific
materials beyond scaling predicted by classical electrostatics.
In this Letter, Author explore the possibility of tuning quantum
capacitance (hence the overall capacitance) via mechanical
strain.
Author also argues that mechanical strain should alter the
electronic density and hence exchange contribution to CQ.
Experimental setup for calculating quantum
capacitance
Electrostatic potentials along the ydirection of a mechanically
neutral (10,0) nanotube for three different regimes.
a. n=0.1033
b. n=0.1005
c. n=0.0478
> Small uniaxial stretch or compression can be applied using relation z (1 +)z

FIG. The effect of strain on quantum capacitance

Interpretation
As level of strain goes from compressive to
tensile, electronic density decreases due to
increase in nanotube area.
At sufficiently low electronic density, exchange
contribution EX[n] dominates the kinetic part of
capacitance.
Exchange energy overwhelms and produces a
negative CQ.
 Dependence of CNT band diagrams on mechanical
strain.
> Density of states at EF does not alter significantly on application of different
strain.
Summary

Author explores the notion of changing sign and

magnitude of quantum capacitance on
application of mechanical strain.

Author demonstrates that CQ can be

mechanically controlled from a very large
positive value to very large negative value.

Conclusion
First paper gives an insight on the rise of
quantum capacitance from density of states.
Second paper takes into effect the electron
electron interaction to correct the quantum
capacitance. DFT calculations show large
positive and negative CQ depending on the
carrier density.
Third paper look into effect of mechanical strain
on CQ , and ways to tune sign and magnitude by
changing strain.