Fabrication and characterization of a single cluster transistor.

This CREA project has a twofold goal: To develop a highly innovative approach for the fabrication of a new class of single electron transistors (SET) based on a single cluster with a countable and controllable number of atoms: the single cluster transistor; To use this fascinating device for fundamental research in the field of atomic clusters. As a proof of concept the discrete energy level spectrum of a single atomic cluster will be measured. The fabrication process combines two state-of-the-art techniques used in nowadays nanoresearch, i.e., electromigration in order to create (sub)nanometer size gaps and atomic cluster deposition. It requires to overcome several technical challenges compared to previous achievements on single molecule transistors. In particular, a high degree of control, down to the single atom level, is required throughout the entire fabrication process. Once fabricated, we will use this nanodevice to measure, for the first time, the electronic properties of a single atomic cluster as a function of the applied back-gate voltage. The discrete nature of the energy levels of the cluster will be reflected in the transistors properties.

Keywords:Nanodevic, Cluster transistor, Single electron transistor, Atomic clusters, Electromigration

Disciplines:Geophysics