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Time-Resolved Imaging of Negative Differential Resistance on the Atomic Scale

Mohammad Rashidi, Marco Taucer, Isil Ozfidan, Erika Lloyd, Mohammad Koleini, Hatem Labidi, Jason L. Pitters, Joseph Maciejko, and Robert A. Wolkow
Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 276805 – Published 30 December 2016
Physics logo See Focus story: Negative Resistance with a Single Atom
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Abstract

Negative differential resistance remains an attractive but elusive functionality, so far only finding niche applications. Atom scale entities have shown promising properties, but the viability of device fabrication requires a fuller understanding of electron dynamics than has been possible to date. Using an all-electronic time-resolved scanning tunneling microscopy technique and a Green’s function transport model, we study an isolated dangling bond on a hydrogen terminated silicon surface. A robust negative differential resistance feature is identified as a many body phenomenon related to occupation dependent electron capture by a single atomic level. We measure all the time constants involved in this process and present atomically resolved, nanosecond time scale images to simultaneously capture the spatial and temporal variation of the observed feature.

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  • Received 28 September 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.276805

© 2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

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Negative Resistance with a Single Atom

Published 30 December 2016

Current flowing through a single silicon atom can be made to decrease with increasing voltage, potentially allowing the integration of a new type of component into microelectronic circuits.

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Authors & Affiliations

Mohammad Rashidi1,2,*, Marco Taucer1,2, Isil Ozfidan1, Erika Lloyd1, Mohammad Koleini1,2, Hatem Labidi1,2, Jason L. Pitters2, Joseph Maciejko1,3, and Robert A. Wolkow1,2

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2J1, Canada
  • 2National Institute for Nanotechnology, National Research Council of Canada, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2M9, Canada
  • 3Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Z8, Canada

  • *Corresponding author. rashidi@uallberta.net

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Issue

Vol. 117, Iss. 27 — 30 December 2016

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