Suppression of large current fluctuations in 2D nanometer-size multijunctions

In microelectronics, the ultimate building block should be able to control single electrons. This can be achieved with the so-called single electron t ransistor (SET), based on a metallic dot linked to the source, drain and ga te electrodes via tunnel junctions. In order to be efficient at room temper ature, the size of the dot has to be about I nm. This is impossible to achi eve nowadays with a high reproducibility, and therefore ID and 2D arrays ha ve been recently considered. Until now, a large yield of functional devices could only be obtained with 2D arrays, with the further benefit of larger Coulomb blockade threshold voltage and maximal working temperature. However , for 2D arrays, large chaotic current fluctuations up to 40% are observed with intermittent character. By means of numerical simulations of such arra ys, we will evidence there the origin of such a behaviour, and show how to reduce these fluctuations down to the quantum shot noise value. (C) 2001 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.