Shunri Oda

Research Center for Quantum Effect Electronics
Tokyo Institute of Technology
O-Okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152, Japan
Tel: 81-3-5734-3048, Fax 81-3-3720-9806,
E-mail: soda@pe.titech.ac.jp
 

Nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) is an ultrafine particle of silicon with dimensions less than 10 nm. Particles of this size exhibit quantum effects. We developed a novel method called digital plasma processing for the control of particle size, position, and surface electronic states of nc-Si. Preparation conditions for nc-Si were studied by using both solid-phase and vapor-phase nucleation methods. The ultrafine structure of nc-Si was investigated using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. An atomic force microscope was used to image the surface morphology, to manipulate the position, and to measure the electrical properties of nc-Si. Quantum effect properties in nc-Si were investigated by using photoluminescence and Coulomb blockade characteristics. Monodispersed nc-Si with size variation of 8±1 nm were obtained by a pulsed plasma process. Cou lomb staircase was observed in current-voltage characteristics from nc-Si at room temperature. These results suggest that nc-Si is a promising candidate for the application of future ultra large scale integrated devices. Keywords nanocrystal, silicon, quantum dot, Coulomb blockade, single electron tunneling, atomic force microscopy, pulsed plasma process

1. Introduction
2. Preparation of nc-Si 　2.1 Solid phase nucleation 　2.2 Vapor phase nucleation
3. Position control of nc-Si
4. Properties of nc-Si 　4.1 Photoluminescence 　4.2 Single-electron tunneling
5. Conclusions Acknowledgment References Adv. Colloid and Interface Sci. in Press; 学術誌; (1997)