Enhancing semiconductor device performance using ordered dopant arrays.

As the size of semiconductor devices continues to shrink, the normally random distribution of the individual dopant atoms within the semiconductor becomes a critical factor in determining device performance--homogeneity can no longer be assumed. Here we report the fabrication of semiconductor devices in which both the number and position of the dopant atoms are precisely controlled. To achieve this, we make use of a recently developed single-ion implantation technique, which enables us to implant dopant ions one-by-one into a fine semiconductor region until the desired number is reached.