title: Single crystalline PtSi nanowires, PtSi/Si/PtSi nanowire heterostructures, and nanodevices.
abstract: We report the formation of PtSi nanowires, PtSi/Si/PtSi nanowire heterostructures, and nanodevices from such heterostructures. Scanning electron microscopy studies show that silicon nanowires can be converted into PtSi nanowires through controlled reactions between lithographically defined platinum pads and silicon nanowires. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies show that PtSi/Si/PtSi heterostructure has an atomically sharp interface with epitaxial relationships of Si[110]//PtSi[010] and Si(111)//PtSi(101). Electrical measurements show that the pure PtSi nanowires have low resistivities approximately 28.6 microOmega.cm and high breakdown current densities>1x10(8) A/cm2. Furthermore, using single crystal PtSi/Si/PtSi nanowire heterostructures with atomically sharp interfaces, we have fabricated high-performance nanoscale field-effect transistors from intrinsic silicon nanowires, in which the source and drain contacts are defined by the metallic PtSi nanowire regions, and the gate length is defined by the Si nanowire region. Electrical measurements show nearly perfect p-channel enhancement mode transistor behavior with a normalized transconductance of 0.3 mS/microm, field-effect hole mobility of 168 cm2/V.s, and on/off ratio>10(7), demonstrating the best performing device from intrinsic silicon nanowires.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles 90095-1595, USA.
authors.forename: Yung-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Kuo-Chang
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Wen-Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jingwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Lih J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang