Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > New Design Developed for Silicon Nanowire Transistors

Abstract:
Transistors are less sensitive to electronic "noise" in the channel and can be turned on and off more effectively

New Design Developed for Silicon Nanowire Transistors

July 01, 2005

In an advance for nanoscale electronics, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated a new design for silicon nanowire transistors that both simplifies processing and allows the devices to be switched on and off more easily.

The NIST design, described in a paper published June 29 by the journal Nanotechnology,* uses a simplified type of contact between the nanowire channel and the positive and negative electrodes of the transistor. The design allows more electrical current to flow in and out of the silicon. The researchers believe the design is the first to demonstrate a "Schottky barrier" type contact for a nanowire transistor built using a "top-down" approach. This barrier, an easily formed metal contact that electrons can tunnel through, requires much less doping with impurities than do conventional ohmic contacts, thereby simplifying processing requirements. Schottky contacts also offer more resistance and restrict electrical flow to one direction when the transistor is off.

In the NIST transistor design, the 60-nanometer-wide channels exhibit a much greater difference in current between the on and off states than is true for larger reference channels up to 5 micrometers wide. This suggests that when a channel is scaled down to the nano regime, the ultra-narrow proportions significantly reduce the current leakage associated with defects in silicon. As a result, the transistors are less sensitive to electronic "noise" in the channel and can be turned on and off more effectively, according to the paper's lead author, Sang-Mo Koo, a NIST guest researcher.

Silicon nanowire devices have received considerable attention recently for possible use in integrated nanoscale electronics as well as for studying fundamental properties of structures and devices with very small dimensions. The NIST work overcomes some key difficulties in making reliable devices or test structures at nanoscale dimensions. The results also suggest that nanowire transistors made with conventional lithographic fabrication methods can improve performance in nanoscale electronics, while allowing industry to retain its existing silicon technology infrastructure.

*S.M. Koo, M.D. Edelstein, Q.Li, C.A. Richter and E.M. Vogel. 2005. Silicon nanowires as enhancement-mode Schottky barrier field-effect transistors. Nanotechnology 16. Posted online June 29.


####
Media Contact:
Laura Ost
laura.ost@nist.gov
(301) 975-4034

Copyright © NIST

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

Possible Futures

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Chip Technology

New chip opens door to AI computing at light speed February 16th, 2024

HKUST researchers develop new integration technique for efficient coupling of III-V and silicon February 16th, 2024

Electrons screen against conductivity-killer in organic semiconductors: The discovery is the first step towards creating effective organic semiconductors, which use significantly less water and energy, and produce far less waste than their inorganic counterparts February 16th, 2024

NRL discovers two-dimensional waveguides February 16th, 2024

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project