Electron transport in a single silicon quantum structure using a vertical silicon probe

We present a method of electrical measurement of single nanocrystalline sil icon (nc-Si) particles fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposit ion (CVD) at very high frequency of 144 MHz. A vertical Si probe structure with a spheroidal shaped hole in SiO2 and a CVD grown polycrystalline Si el ectrode allows stable measurement of current through a single nc-Si quantum dot. Periodic Coulomb staircases are observed between 5 and 50 K. The temp erature dependence of the differential conductance is consistent with these being electron transport through a double junction array. A Monte Carlo si mulation further supports the double junction array model where a nc-Si qua ntum dot is covered by 1.5-nm-thick natural oxide as a tunnel barrier. More over, applying a wraparound gate makes it possible to observe Coulomb oscil lation. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)08119-6].