Observation of the single electron charging effect in nanocrystalline silicon at room temperature using atomic force microscopy

We have measured current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of individual surface oxidized nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) particles, which were grown in the gas phase of a plasma and which had well-defined grain sizes of less than 10 nm and a regular octahedron shape. The I–V characteristics were measured at room temperature using atomic force microscopy with conductive tips, which allows the grain size of nc-Si particles to also be measured directly. The measured I–V characteristics show staircaselike features. The period of the staircase increases with decreasing grain size, which is consistent with the single electron charging effect in nc-Si.