Single-electron capacitance spectroscopy of semiconductor microstructures

R. C. Ashoori, H. L. Stormer, J. S. Weiner, L. N. Pfeiffer, S. J. Pearton, K. W. Baldwin, K. W. West

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present a technique which permits a quantitative spectroscopy of discrete quantum levels in semiconductor microstructures. The method involves monitoring the capacitance signal resulting from single-electron tunneling. In a microscopic capacitor fabricated in GaAs we study the confined states of a single 1 μm disk to which electrons can tunnel from a nearby metallic layer. Charge transfer occurs only for bias voltages at which a quantum level is resonant with the Fermi energy of the metallic layer. This creates a sequence of distinct capacitance peaks whose bias positions can be directly converted to an energy scale to determine the electronic spectrum of the confined structure. The evolution of the spectrum in magnetic fields allows deduction of the nature of the bound states.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)378-384
Number of pages7
JournalPhysica B: Physics of Condensed Matter
Volume184
Issue number1-4
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1993
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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