Double-Gate Operation of Metal Nanodot-Array-Based Single-Electron Device

Abstract

Multidot single-electron devices (SEDs) can realize new types of computing technologies, such as reconfigurable and reservoir computing. The self-assembled metal nanodot-array film attached with multiple gates is a candidate for use in such SEDs to achieve high functionality. However, the single-electron properties of such a film have not yet been investigated in use with optimally controlled multiple gates because of structural complexity having many nanodots. In this study, Fe nanodot-array-based double-gate SEDs were fabricated and their single-electron properties modulated by the top- and bottom-gate voltages (VT and VB, respectively) were investigated. As reported in our previous study, the drain current (ID) exhibited clear oscillations against VB (i.e., Coulomb blockade oscillation) in a part of the devices, originating from a single dot among several dots. The phase of the Coulomb blockade oscillation systematically shifted with VT, indicating that the charge state of the single dot was clearly controlled by both the gate voltages despite the multidot structure and the metal multidot SED has potential for logic-gate operation. The top and bottom gates affected the electronic state of the dot unevenly owing to the geometrical effect caused by the dot shape and size of the surrounding dots.