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A Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) capacitor is a fundamental structure used extensively in semiconductor device technology, particularly in the fabrication of integrated circuits and MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors). The MOS capacitor consists of three layers: a metal gate, a dielectric oxide, and a semiconductor substrate.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

Silicon Metal-oxide-semiconductor Quantum Dots for Single-electron Pumping

Silicon Metal-oxide-semiconductor Quantum Dots for Single-electron Pumping

Published on: June 3, 2015

Quantum conductance in silicon oxide resistive memory devices.

A Mehonic¹, A Vrajitoarea, S Cueff

¹Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, UCL, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK.

Scientific Reports

|September 20, 2013

Summary

Resistive switching in silicon-rich silica (SiOx) exhibits unique half-integer conductance quantisation. This intrinsic quantum effect, unlike metallic ion drift, offers new insights into electronic memory materials.

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Writing and Low-Temperature Characterization of Oxide Nanostructures

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Published on: July 18, 2014

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics
Nanotechnology

Background:

Resistive switching is a key technology for next-generation electronic memory, nearing the limits of current systems.
Conductive filaments in resistive switches cause quantum conductance effects, quantising conductance into multiples of the fundamental unit (G0).
Quantum effects manifest when filament diameter approaches the electron's Fermi wavelength (several nanometres).

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the conductance quantisation in silicon-rich silica (SiOx) resistive switches.
To determine the nature of the quantisation (integer or half-integer) and its origin.
To differentiate SiOx switching from systems dominated by metallic ion migration.

Main Methods:

Fabrication and electrical characterization of silicon-rich silica (SiOx) resistive switching devices.
Analysis of device conductance under varying conditions to observe quantisation effects.
Modeling of filament structure and formation to explain observed quantum phenomena.

Main Results:

Silicon-rich silica (SiOx) exhibits conductance quantisation in half-integer multiples of the fundamental unit of conductance (G0).
This half-integer quantisation is intrinsic to the SiOx material itself, not caused by metallic ion movement.
The observed quantisation is directly linked to the specific structure and formation mechanism of conductive filaments within SiOx.

Conclusions:

The intrinsic half-integer conductance quantisation in SiOx represents a novel quantum effect in resistive switching.
Understanding this mechanism allows for the distinction between different types of resistive switching systems based on quantisation behavior.
SiOx resistive switches show potential for advanced electronic memory applications due to their unique quantum properties.