Characterization of electrical conduction in silicon nanowire by scanning Maxwell-stress microscopy

An experimental approach to investigate anomalous electrical conduction in a 100 nm width silicon wire by scanning Maxwell-stress microscopy (SMM) has been reported. The silicon wire exhibited negative resistance and hysteres is characteristics by sweeping the applied voltage up to 50 V. Potential pr ofile along the wire obtained from the SMM images exhibited that lateral el ectric field significantly increased at the ground-side end of the wire aft er the hysteresis characteristics emerged. The field increase is interprete d as the conductivity decrease. The origin of the conductance decrease is c onsidered to be generation and trapping of hot holes at the ground-side end . (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.