Single-electron effects in highly doped polysilicon nanowires

We investigate silicon-based single-electron transistors in thin layers of highly doped recrystallized amorphous silicon. After rapid thermal annealing polysilicon grains have been found with sizes of about View the MathML source acting as electron islands. Applying high-resolution electron-beam lithography we have fabricated nanowires with width down to about View the MathML source in the polycrystalline silicon films. Single-electron effects in the non-linear source–drain characteristics up to temperatures of about View the MathML source have been observed.