Photoconductivity enhancement in alkali metal doped multiwall carbon nanotubes

Photoconductivity effects in pristine and alkali-metal (K, Li) doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were studied under xenon (100 mW) and also halogen (10 mW) light continues sources. To perform the measurements, the pristine and alkali doped CNTs were deposited into pores of a silver foam plate with nano-metric porosity by electrophoresis technique. The foam acted as a conducting frame for sweeping the photo-induced electrons to prevent rapid local electron-hole recombination in the CNTs. The radiation spectrum of the xenon source was similar to the Sun light spectrum and under normal ambient condition the photocurrents in the alkali doped samples were enhanced noticeably in comparison with the pristine CNTs. These results present a functional photoconductive performance of a heap of as-prepared alkali-metal doped CNTs that would be applicable as a light sensor without the necessity of separation between metallic and semiconducting CNTs (m- and s-CNTs).