Operation and Fabrication of Single Electron and Coherent Nanoscale Semiconductor Devices

Abstract : As MOSFET scaling matures in the next 10-20 years, "quantum" semiconductor devices are expected to enable the continued increase in the performance of electronic systems. These devices depend on the "coherent" transport of electrons and/or on the properties of single electrons. Because electrons scatter, causing them to lose coherency, and because the effect of single charge is increased in small volumes, nanotechnology is required to fabricate such devices. In this work, we examined fundamental and practical issues associated with quantum devices. Highlights of the work are the theoretical and experimental confirmation of the increase of the coherence time of electrons confined to small volume, the development of high throughput nanomanufacturing tools, and the use of these tools to create single electron memory devices operating at room temperature.