title: Determining the electronic performance limitations in top-down-fabricated Si nanowires with mean widths down to 4 nm.
abstract: Silicon nanowires have been patterned with mean widths down to 4 nm using top-down lithography and dry etching. Performance-limiting scattering processes have been measured directly which provide new insight into the electronic conduction mechanisms within the nanowires. Results demonstrate a transition from 3-dimensional (3D) to 2D and then 1D as the nanowire mean widths are reduced from 12 to 4 nm. The importance of high quality surface passivation is demonstrated by a lack of significant donor deactivation, resulting in neutral impurity scattering ultimately limiting the electronic performance. The results indicate the important parameters requiring optimization when fabricating nanowires with atomic dimensions.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, University of Glasgow , Rankine Building, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Muhammad M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mirza
authors.forename: Donald A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: MacLaren
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samarelli
authors.forename: Barry M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Haiping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thoms
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: MacIntyre
authors.forename: Douglas J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Paul
keywords: 1D; 2D; 3D; Silicon nanowire; electronic transport; scattering mechanisms