Synthesis and Characterization of Nanowires

Musket, R.G. ; Felter, T. ; Quong, A.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

关键词: Nanostructures;    Dimensions;    Quantum Dots;    Geometry;    36 Materials Science;   

DOI  :  10.2172/820924
RP-ID  :  UCRL-ID-137745
RP-ID  :  W-7405-Eng-48
RP-ID  :  820924

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

With the dimensions of components in microelectronic circuits shrinking, the phenomena associated with electronic conduction through wires and with device operation can be expected to change. For example, as the length of electrical conductors is reduced, ballistic transport will become the main mode of conduction. Sufficient reduction in the cross sectional area of conductors can lead to quantum confinement effects. Prior knowledge of the phenomena associated with decreasing size should help guide the designers of future, smaller devices in terms of geometry and materials. However, prior knowledge requires the availability of sufficiently small nanowires for experiments. To date, the smallest nanowires that have been fabricated and investigated had diameters of 8 nm. We propose to extend the investigation of these size-related phenomena by synthesizing, using a novel version of nuclear, or ion, track lithography and characterizing, physically and electrically, nanowires with diameters D of 1 to 5 nm and lengths L of 2 to 250 nm. Thus, by varying the dimensions of the nanowires, we will be able to determine experimentally when the ideas of macroscopic conductance break down and the conductance becomes dominated by quantum and ballistic effects. In our approach the nature of the small-diameter nanostructure formed can be controlled: Nanowires are formed when L/D is large, and quantum dots are formed when both L and D are small. Theoretical calculations will be performed to both guide and understand the experimental studies. We have examined several aspects of this challenging problem and generated some promising results, but the project was not extended for the second year as planned. Thus, we did not have sufficient resources to complete the proof of concept.