Determining the electronic performance limitations in top-down fabricated Si nanowires with mean widths down to 4 nm

Mirza, M. M. , MacLaren, D. A. , Samarelli, A., Holmes, B. M., Zhou, H., Thoms, S. , MacIntyre, D. and Paul, D. J. (2014) Determining the electronic performance limitations in top-down fabricated Si nanowires with mean widths down to 4 nm. Nano Letters, 14(11), pp. 6056-6060. (doi: 10.1021/nl5015298)

Abstract

Silicon nanowires have been patterned with mean widths down to 4 nm using top-down lithography and dry etching. Performance-limiting scattering processes have been measured directly which provide new insight into the electronic conduction mechanisms within the nanowires. Results demonstrate a transition from 3-dimensional (3D) to 2D and then 1D as the nanowire mean widths are reduced from 12 to 4 nm. The importance of high quality surface passivation is demonstrated by a lack of significant donor deactivation, resulting in neutral impurity scattering ultimately limiting the electronic performance. The results indicate the important parameters requiring optimization when fabricating nanowires with atomic dimensions.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Mirza, Dr Muhammad M A and Zhou, Dr Haiping and MacLaren, Dr Donald and Thoms, Dr Stephen and Samarelli, Mr Antonio and Paul, Professor Douglas and Holmes, Dr Barry
• Authors: Mirza, M. M., MacLaren, D. A., Samarelli, A., Holmes, B. M., Zhou, H., Thoms, S., MacIntyre, D., and Paul, D. J.
• Subjects: Q Science > QC Physics
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering; College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• Research Group: Semiconductor Devices
• Journal Name: Nano Letters
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• ISSN: 1530-6984
• ISSN (Online): 1530-6992
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2014 American Chemical Society
• First Published: First published in Nano Letters 14(11):6056-6060
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
50329	1	Molecular-Metal-Oxide-nanoelectronicS (M-MOS): Achieving the Molecular Limit	Leroy Cronin	Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)	EP/H024107/1	CHEM - CHEMISTRY