Observation of single charge carriers by force microscopy
Abstract
The scanning force microscope is used to deposite charge carriers on insulating Si3N4 films and to monitor their recombination. The charge decay shows up as a discontinuous staircase, demonstrating single-carrier resolution. The decay is found to be controlled by thermionic emission.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- December 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.65.3162
- Bibcode:
- 1990PhRvL..65.3162S
- Keywords:
-
- 73.25.+i;
- 61.16.Di;
- 73.40.Bf;
- 73.50.Gr;
- Surface conductivity and carrier phenomena;
- Charge carriers: generation recombination lifetime trapping mean free paths