Scanning Single Electron Transistor Microscopy: Imaging Individual Charges
Abstract
We report the development of a single electron transistor scanning electrometer (SETSE), a scanned probe microscope capable of mapping static electric fields and charges with submicron (100nm) spatial resolution and fractional electron charge sensitivity (0.01e). The active sensing element of the SETSE is a single electron transistor fabricated at the end of a sharp glass tip. Images of the surface electric fields of a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure sample taken before and after brief exposures to light show individual photoionized charge sites. Surface electric field maps additionally reveal 100nm length scale fluctuations in the dopant and surface charge distribution. We also describe SETSE images and measurements of depleted regions, local capacitance, band bending, and work functions at submicron length scales on the surface of this model semiconductor device.
- Publication:
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APS March Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- March 1997
- Bibcode:
- 1997APS..MAR..B303Y