Room-temperature quantum effect in silicon nanoparticles obtained by low-energy ion implantation and embedded in a nanometer scale capacitor

In this article, we present the room-temperature current-voltage characteristics of a nanometer scale (100 x 100 nm(2)) metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor containing few (less than 100) silicon nanoparticles. The layer of silicon nanoparticles is synthesized within the oxide of this capacitor by ultra low-energy ion implantation and annealing. Current fluctuations in the form of discrete current steps and sharp peaks appeared in the static and dynamic I(V) characteristics of the capacitor. These features have been associated to quantized charging and discharging of the nanoparticles and the resulting Coulomb interaction to the tunneling current. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.