Room-temperature observation of the Coulomb blockade effects in Al two-terminal diodes fabricated using a focused ion-beam nanoparticle process

Al two-terminal diodes were fabricated on a basis of an artificial pattern formation method using focused ion-beam (FIB) techniques. The results of cu rrent-voltage and conductance-voltage measurements at room temperature show ed the Coulomb staircase and the Coulomb blockade effects, respectively. Th e Coulomb blockade effects originate from the many nanoparticles created by the defects due to the Ga+ ion beam. These results indicate that Al two-te rminal diodes fabricated by using the FIB system hold promise for potential applications in single-electron transistors operating at room temperature. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)03708-6].