Electronic properties of atomically abrupt tunnel junctions in silicon

Abstract

We explore the influence of atomically sharp phosphorus doping profiles in laterally patterned tunnel junctions in crystalline silicon on the electronic transport properties at low temperatures. Atomically precise patterning is realized using scanning-tunneling-microscope-based hydrogen lithography in combination with low-temperature Si growth by molecular beam epitaxy. We show the conductance modulation of a $48\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{nm}$ tunnel gap with a barrier height of $0.5\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{meV}$ and highlight how such devices can act as sensitive charge sensors.