title: Time-resolved single dopant charge dynamics in silicon.
abstract: As the ultimate miniaturization of semiconductor devices approaches, it is imperative that the effects of single dopants be clarified. Beyond providing insight into functions and limitations of conventional devices, such information enables identification of new device concepts. Investigating single dopants requires sub-nanometre spatial resolution, making scanning tunnelling microscopy an ideal tool. However, dopant dynamics involve processes occurring at nanosecond timescales, posing a significant challenge to experiment. Here we use time-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy to probe and study transport through a dangling bond on silicon before the system relaxes or adjusts to accommodate an applied electric field. Atomically resolved, electronic pump-probe scanning tunnelling microscopy permits unprecedented, quantitative measurement of time-resolved single dopant ionization dynamics. Tunnelling through the surface dangling bond makes measurement of a signal that would otherwise be too weak to detect feasible. Distinct ionization and neutralization rates of a single dopant are measured and the physical process controlling those are identified.
authors: Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2J1.|National Institute for Nanotechnology, National Research Council of Canada, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2M9.
authors: Mohammad
authors: 0000-0002-8830-4812
authors: M
authors: Rashidi
authors: Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.|Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors: Jacob A J
authors: JA
authors: Burgess
authors: Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2J1.|National Institute for Nanotechnology, National Research Council of Canada, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2M9.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Taucer
authors: Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2J1.
authors: Roshan
authors: R
authors: Achal
authors: National Institute for Nanotechnology, National Research Council of Canada, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2M9.
authors: Jason L
authors: JL
authors: Pitters
authors: Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.|Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Loth
authors: Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2J1.|National Institute for Nanotechnology, National Research Council of Canada, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2M9.
authors: Robert A
authors: RA
authors: Wolkow