Electrical Properties of Si-SiO2-Si Nanogaps

• The chances of attaching organic molecules to silicon surfaces can be considerably enhanced if a robust nanogap structure with silicon electrodes can be used to connect the molecules. We describe the electrical properties of such an electrode structure, with a separation of the silicon surfaces in the 37 nm range. These silicon nanogaps are manufactured by partly removing the silicon dioxide insulator from a siliconoxidesilicon material stack, by using a selective oxide etchant. After the activation of the gap (the etching), current instabilities appear, which are comparable to the properties of thin oxides after soft breakdown. Applying a constant voltage can reduce these current instabilities. We also address the issue of surface leakage currents for these nanogap structures.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Silicon nanogaps

Surface leakage currents

Molecular electronics

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