SINGLE ELECTRON
TUNNELING (SET)
MOHD RASHID SIDDIQUI
B.Tech.-Mechanical
16MEB258
WHY SET?
• Currently available transistors: use total
of approx. 100,000 electrons to send
only one bit of information.
• Power consumption increases
proportionally with the progress of
large scale integration.
• For example, a typical present day
consumes 50W of power.
WHAT WE NEED?
■ A single electron device which controls each electron individually.
■ A device which allows one bit of information to be sent by a single electron &
therefore requires only 1/100,000 of the power consumption of conventional
devices making ultimate power savings possible.
■ Furthermore to realize such power savings we require a nano-scale device which in
turn helps in miniaturization of the device.
WHAT IS SET ACTUALLY?
Source Lead Supplies electrons
Quantum Dot Collects electrons;
coupled through two
tunnelling leads
Drain Lead Removes electrons for
use in external circuit
𝑉𝑠𝑑
OHM’S LAW: 𝐼=
𝑅
Vsd = Applied source-drain voltage Vg = Applied gate voltage that provides
a control over resistance R of the
R = Resistance arise from the process of active region of the quantum dot,
electron tunnelling from source to & consequently helps to regulate
quantum dot & from quantum-dot to the current flow
drain
■ For large or macroscopic dimensions the current flow is continuous, & it is governed
by Ohm’s Law.
■ This case is similar to voltage-controlled or field-effect-controlled transistor or FET.
■ Here we want the discrete behaviour, i.e., the passage of
electrons one-by-one, through nanostructures based on
certain circuitry as shown in the figure.
■ For a FET-type nanostructure, the dimensions of the
components (i.e. the attached electrodes & the quantum dot)
are comparable in size.
■ For disk & spherical shaped dots of radius r, the capacitance C is given by
Disk: 𝐶 = 8𝜀𝑜 𝜀 𝑟
𝜀𝑜
Sphere: 𝐶 = 4π𝜀𝑜 𝜀 𝑟
𝜀𝑜
where,
𝜀
= Dimensionless dielectric constant of the semiconducting material
𝜀𝑜
that forms the quantum dot
𝜀𝑜 = Dielectric constant of free space = 8.8542 x 10-12 F/m
■ For a typical GaAs dot material of spherical shape:
𝜀
= 13.2
𝜀𝑜
C = 1.47 x 10-18 r Farad
where, r is in nanometer
■ When a single electron is added or subtracted, the electrostatic energy E of a
spherical capacitor of charge Q changes by
𝑒𝑄
∆𝐸 ~
𝐶
■ This corresponds to change in potential
∆𝐸 𝑒 0.109
∆𝑉 = = ~ 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠
𝑄 𝐶 𝑟
■ For a nanostructure of radius r = 10nm, ∆V ≈ 11mV.
■ This voltage difference is large enough to impede (resist) the tunnelling of the next
electron.
■ So it will create a possibility to control the mobility of electrons whenever it is
required so.
QUANTUM CONDITIONS REQUIRED
𝑒2
≫ 𝐾𝐵𝑇 HEISENBERG UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE
2𝐶
ℎ
Where, ∆E × 𝜏 > h OR RT >>
𝑒2
e2/2C = Capacitor single- Where,
electron charging 𝑒2
energy ∆E = Capacitor energy =
2𝐶
KBT = Thermal energy 𝜏 = Time required to charge
arising from the the capacitor = RTC
random vibrations of
the atoms in the RT = Tunnelling resistance
lattice offered by the potential
barrier
■ When these quantum conditions are met & the voltage is
applied across the quantum dot, the current jumps in
increments every time the voltage changes by value as
shown by I-V characteristics below.
■ It is clear from the I-V characteristics that for a voltage below
a certain value, the current is zero. This state is called
Coulomb Blockade that suppresses the tunneling of single
electron in case of low bias condition.
■ Now, if the externally applied junction voltage V is increased,
electrons moves from one junction to another very rapidly,
which in turn raises the total charge of the island.
■ If the bias is increased, it will tend to increase the population
of electrons in the island.
■ In this case the I-V Curve represents stair-like characteristics,
which are commonly referred to as the Coulomb Staircase.
