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.
Highlights
University of Glasgow, School of Engineering, Rankine Building, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8LT, United Kingdom, and University of Glasgow, SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, Kelvin Building, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
The nanowires were fabricated on 200 mm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates purchased from SOITEC with a top Si layer of 55 nm and a buried oxide thickness of 150 nm
Previous work demonstrated that an optimum dose of ∼2700 μC/cm[2] allows resist linewidths in Hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) down to 5 nm.[1]
Summary
Holmes,† Haiping Zhou,† Stephen Thoms,† Douglas MacIntyre,† and Douglas J. University of Glasgow, School of Engineering, Rankine Building, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8LT, United Kingdom, and University of Glasgow, SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, Kelvin Building, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call