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Epitaxial top-gated atomic-scale silicon wire in a three-dimensional architecture
S R McKibbin1, G Scappucci, W Pok
1Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology and School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. sarah.mckibbin@gmail.com
Nanotechnology
|January 8, 2013
Summary
Researchers achieved 3D control of dopant profiles in silicon using a novel epitaxial gate. This breakthrough enables atomically precise transistors and advanced silicon circuits for quantum computing.
Area of Science:
- Solid State Physics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Atomically precise fabrication of silicon devices is essential for next-generation electronics.
- Controlling dopant profiles in three dimensions (3D) is a key challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate 3D control of dopant profiles in silicon.
- To enable the fabrication of atomically precise transistors and advanced silicon circuits.
Main Methods:
- Utilized scanning tunneling lithography for precise lateral confinement of dopants.
- Employed monolayer doping and low-temperature epitaxial overgrowth for vertical confinement.
- Demonstrated conductance modulation using a 3 nm wide delta-doped silicon-phosphorus wire and a vertically separated epitaxial doped silicon-phosphorus top-gate.
Main Results:
- Achieved large gate ranges (approximately 2.6 V) with minimal leakage currents (below 1 pA).
- Successfully created multiple layers of nano-patterned dopants within a single crystal silicon material.
- Demonstrated the effectiveness of low-temperature grown intrinsic crystalline silicon as a gate dielectric.
Conclusions:
- The study validates the use of highly doped, vertically separated epitaxial gates in an all-crystalline architecture.
- This approach holds significant promise for monolithic 3D silicon circuits.
- Paves the way for atomically precise donor architectures crucial for quantum computing applications.
