Tunneling in nanoscale silicon particles embedded in an a-SiO/sub 2/ matrix

The starting point of our endeavor, in the realization of a resonant tunneling structure in silicon, is based on the fact that sufficiently small particles with dimensions below the electron mean free path should exhibit quantum effects resulting in a series of resonant tunneling similar to resonant tunneling through a double barrier quantum well structure. A diode structure was fabricated with a thin layer (10-20 nm) of nanoscale silicon particles embedded in an a-SiO/sub 2/ matrix between an n-type silicon substrate and an aluminum contact. Discrete sharp conductance peaks, having linewidth of 25-30 meV, were observed even at room temperature.