Isolating and moving single atoms using silicon nanocrystals
| DWPI Title: Method for isolating single atoms of phosphorus within silicon nanocrystals, involves measuring electrical charge distribution of silicon nanocrystals to identify silicon nanocrystals with single atom and different number of atoms |
| Abstract: A method is disclosed for isolating single atoms of an atomic species of interest by locating the atoms within silicon nanocrystals. This can be done by implanting, on the average, a single atom of the atomic species of interest into each nanocrystal, and then measuring an electrical charge distribution on the nanocrystals with scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) or electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) to identify and select those nanocrystals having exactly one atom of the atomic species of interest therein. The nanocrystals with the single atom of the atomic species of interest therein can be sorted and moved using an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip. The method is useful for forming nanoscale electronic and optical devices including quantum computers and single-photon light sources. |
| Use: Method for isolating single atoms of atomic species of interest e.g. phosphorus or erbium within silicon nanocrystals. |
| Advantage: Single atoms within silicon nanocrystals can be isolated easily and can be moved reliably for placement at particular locations. |
| Novelty: The method involves implanting silicon nanocrystals in substrate (22) with ions of atomic species of interest at ion energy and ion dose rate. The electrical charge distribution of silicon nanocrystals is measured to identify the silicon nanocrystals containing single atom and silicon nanocrystals containing different number of atoms of atomic species of interest. |
| Filed: 10/31/2007 |
| Application Number: US2007931155A |
| Tech ID: SD 10426.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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