Spatially resolved random telegraph fluctuations of a single trap at the Si/SiO interface.

We use electrostatic force microscopy to spatially resolve random telegraph noise at the Si/SiO interface. Our measurements demonstrate that two-state fluctuations are localized at interfacial traps, with bias-dependent rates and amplitudes. These two-level systems lead to correlated carrier number and mobility fluctuations with a range of characteristic timescales; taken together as an ensemble, they give rise to a [Formula: see text] power spectral trend.

Needle in a haystack: Efficiently finding atomically defined quantum dots for electrostatic force microscopy.

The ongoing development of single electron, nano-, and atomic scale semiconductor devices would greatly benefit from a characterization tool capable of detecting single electron charging events with high spatial resolution at low temperatures. In this work, we introduce a novel Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) instrument capable of measuring critical device dimensions, surface roughness, electrical surface potential, and ultimately the energy levels of quantum dots and single electron transistors in ultra miniaturized semiconductor devices. The characterization of nanofabricated devices with this type of instrument presents a challenge: finding the device.

Spatially Resolved Dielectric Loss at the Si/SiO_{2} Interface.

The Si/SiO_{2} interface is populated by isolated trap states that modify its electronic properties. These traps are of critical interest for the development of semiconductor-based quantum sensors and computers, as well as nanoelectronic devices. Here, we study the electric susceptibility of the Si/SiO_{2} interface with nm spatial resolution using frequency-modulated atomic force microscopy.

Benchmarking of X-Ray Fluorescence Microscopy with Ion Beam Implanted Samples Showing Detection Sensitivity of Hundreds of Atoms.

Single impurities in insulators are now often used for quantum sensors and single photon sources, while nanoscale semiconductor doping features are being constructed for electrical contacts in quantum technology devices, implying that new methods for sensitive, non-destructive imaging of single- or few-atom structures are needed. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) can provide nanoscale imaging with chemical specificity, and features comprising as few as 100 000 atoms have been detected without any need for specialized or destructive sample preparation. Presently, the ultimate limits of sensitivity of XRF are unknown - here, gallium dopants in silicon are investigated using a high brilliance, synchrotron source collimated to a small spot.

Single-Atom Control of Arsenic Incorporation in Silicon for High-Yield Artificial Lattice Fabrication.

Artificial lattices constructed from individual dopant atoms within a semiconductor crystal hold promise to provide novel materials with tailored electronic, magnetic, and optical properties. These custom-engineered lattices are anticipated to enable new, fundamental discoveries in condensed matter physics and lead to the creation of new semiconductor technologies including analog quantum simulators and universal solid-state quantum computers. This work reports precise and repeatable, substitutional incorporation of single arsenic atoms into a silicon lattice.