Nanowire Single-Electron Memory

Abstract

We demonstrate storage of electrons in semiconductor nanowires epitaxially grown from Au nanoparticles. The nanowires contain multiple tunnel junctions (MTJs) of InP barriers and InAs quantum dots designed such that the metal seed particles act as storage nodes. By positioning a second nanowire close to the seed particle it is possible to detect tunneling of individual electrons through the MTJ at 4.2 K. A strong memory effect is observed in the detector current when sweeping the writing voltage.

High Purity GaAs Nanowires Free of Planar Defects: Growth and Characterization

“…A wide range of nanowire based electronic and photonic devices have already been built, including nanowire solar cells, [1] lasers, [2] photodetectors, [3] single-electron memory devices, [4] and DNA detectors. [5] Several of these devices were created using III-V nanowires, which are especially promising owing to the superior electrical and optical properties of III-V materials.…”

Thermal and chemical vapor deposition of Si nanowires: Shape control, dispersion, and electrical properties

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] On the one hand, the capability to synthesize nanoscale building blocks without the need of expensive and time-consuming lithography techniques offers key opportunities for high-integration nanoelectronics. Research is therefore heading towards the realization of singlenanowire ͑NW͒ or crossed-NW devices with the aim of integrating a large number of active components into a rational geometry.…”

“…Research is therefore heading towards the realization of singlenanowire ͑NW͒ or crossed-NW devices with the aim of integrating a large number of active components into a rational geometry. [3][4][5]9,10 On the other hand, applications are envisaged where nanostructured materials do not require individual manipulation but are assembled as bulk, while individually retaining their nanoscale properties such as quantum confinement or large surface-to-volume ratio. [6][7][8]11,12 As a consequence, several synthesis approaches are being developed to match the specific requirements of different possible applications.…”

Structural characteristics of GaSb∕GaAs nanowire heterostructures grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

“…The fabrication of ideal semiconductor nanowires has become a global focus in recent years due to their promising physical properties for a wide range of potential applications in the fields of nanoelectronics and nano-optoelectronics, including biological or chemical sensors, 1 logic gates and computation units, 2 light emitting diodes, 3 high-performance field effect transistors, 3 nanowire lasers, 4,5 resonant tunneling diodes, 6 single electron tunneling diodes for high-density information storage, 7 and high-speed thermoelectric devices. 8 Currently, the vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism, proposed by Wagner and Ellis several decades ago, 9 has been the dominant growth mechanism for growing semiconductor nanowires and these semiconductor nanostructures are commonly grown by chemical vapor deposition, 10 metal-organic chemical vapor deposition ͑MOCVD͒, 11 molecular beam epitaxy, 12 and chemical beam epitaxy.…”