Fabrication of single atom nanoscale devices by ion implantation

Fabrication of nanoscale devices that exploit the rules of quantum mechanics to process information presents a formidable technical challenge because it will be necessary to control quantum states at the level of individual atoms, electrons or photons. We have developed a pathway to the construction of quantum devices using ion implantation and demonstrate, using charge transport analysis, that the devices exhibit single electron effects. We construct devices that employ two P donors in Si by employing the technique of ion beam induced charge (IBIC) in which single 14 keV P ions can be implanted into ultra-pure silicon by monitoring on-substrate detector electrodes. We have used IBIC with a MeV nuclear microprobe to map and measure the charge collection efficiency in the development of the electrode structure and show that 100 % charge collection efficiency can be achieved leading to the fabrication of prototype devices that display quantum effects in the transport of single charge quanta between the islands of implanted donors.