One-Dimensional Subband Effects in a Gate-All-Around Silicon Quantum Wire Transistor

Abstract

A silicon quantum wire transistor, in which electrons are transported through a very narrow wire, has been fabricated using SOI (Silicon-On-Insulator) technology, electron beam lithography, anisotropic dry etching, and thermal oxidation. We have obtained the quantum wire with a width of 65 nm, which is fully embedded in silicon dioxide. These narrow dimension of the wire and large potential barrier between silicon and silicon dioxide make the electrons moving through the wire to experience one-dimensional confinement. The step-like structure in the conductance versus gate voltage curve, which is a typical evidence of one-dimensional conductance, has been observed at temperatures of below 4.2 K. A period of step appearance and a step size have been analyzed to compare experimental characteristics with theoretical calculation.