Electrical Properties of Si-SiO2-Si Nanogaps
Journal article, 2005

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 3–7 nm range. These silicon nanogaps are manufactured by partly removing the silicon dioxide insulator from a silicon–oxide–silicon 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.

Silicon nanogaps

Surface leakage currents

Molecular electronics

Author

Jonas Berg

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Solid State Electronics

Franklin Che

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Solid State Electronics

Per Lundgren

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Solid State Electronics

Peter Enoksson

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Solid State Electronics

Stefan Bengtsson

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Solid State Electronics

Nanotechnology

0957-4484 (ISSN) 1361-6528 (eISSN)

Vol. 16 10 2197-2202

Subject Categories

Physical Sciences

DOI

10.1088/0957-4484/16/10/037

More information

Created

10/6/2017