Silver nanoparticle formation in thin oxide layer on silicon by silver-negative-ion implantation for Coulomb blockade at room temperature

Formation of silver nanoparticles formed by silver negative-ion implantation in a thin SiO2 layer and its I–V characteristics were investigated for development single electron devices. In order to obtain effective Coulomb blockade phenomenon at room temperature, the isolated metal nanoparticles should be in very small size and be formed in a thin insulator layer such as gate oxide on the silicon substrate. Therefore, conditions of a fine particles size, high particle density and narrow distribution should be controlled at their formation without any electrical breakdown of the thin insulator layer. We have used a negative-ion implantation technique with an advantage of ‘‘charge-up free’’ for insulators, with which no breakdown of thin oxide layer on Si was obtained. In the I–V characteristics with Au electrode, the current steps were observed with a voltage interval of about 0.12 V. From the step voltage the corresponded capacitance was calculated to be 0.7 aF. In one nanoparticle system, this value of capacitance could be given by a nanoparticle of about 3 nm in diameter. This consideration is consistent to the measured particle size in the cross-sectional TEM observation. Therefore, the observed I–V characteristics with steps are considered to be Coulomb staircase by the Ag nanoparticles