Room temperature single electron charging in single silicon nanochains

Single-electron charging effects are observed at room temperature in single Si nanochains. The nanochains, grown by thermal evaporation of SiO solid sources, consist of a series of Si nanocrystals ∼10nm in diameter, separated by SiO2 regions. Multiple step Coulomb staircase current-voltage characteristics are observed at 300K in devices using single, selected, nanochains. The characteristics are investigated using a model where the nanochain forms a multiple tunnel junction. The single-electron charging energy for a nanocrystal within the multiple-tunnel junction is EC=e2∕2Ceff∼0.32eV, ∼12kBT at 300K.