Single electron charging effect in individual Si nanocrystals.

Abstract

AbstractWe present a detailed study of the electronics properties of individual silicon nano- crystals (nc-Si) elaborated by Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition on 1.2 nm thick SiO2 grown on Si (100). The combination of ultra thin oxide layers and highly doped substrates allows imaging the hemispherical dots by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy. By analyzing the STM images, we deduce a size distribution, which ranges between 3 and 6 nm with a surface density around 1012 cm-2. Spectroscopic studies of single dots are made by recording the I(V) curves on the Si nanocrystal accurately selected with the metallic tip. These I(V) curves obtain on a single dot, exhibit Coulomb blockade and resonant tunneling effects. Coulomb pseudo gaps, Ec, between 0.15 and 0.2 V are measured for different dots. From the width and height of the staircases observed at bias greater than Ec, 60 meV and 40 pA respectively, capacitance of 0.5 to 1 aF and tunnel resistance of 3.5×108 and 5.7×109 Ohms are measured within the orthodox approximation for asymmetric junctions. We have determined, from experimental measurements, the energy of the first level confined in nc-Si.