Sub-1K Cold-Electron Quantum Well Switching at Room Temperature.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39467161.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c03348.
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Abstract
Quantum states can provide means to systematically manipulate the transport of electrons. Here we present electron transport across quasi-bound states of two heterogeneous quantum wells (QWs), where the transport of thermally excited electrons is blocked or enabled depending on the relative positions of the two quasi-bound states, with an abrupt current onset occurring when the two QW states align. The QW switch comprises a source (Cr), QW1 (Cr<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>), QW2 (SnO<sub><i>x</i></sub>, <i>x</i> < 2), a tunneling barrier (SiO<sub>2</sub>), and a drain (Si), where the effective electron mass of QW1 (<i>m</i>*<sub>QW1</sub>) is selected to be larger than QW2 (<i>m</i>*<sub>QW2</sub>). The current-voltage (<i>I</i>-<i>V</i>) measurements of the fabricated devices show abrupt current onsets, with the current transition occurring within 0.25 mV, corresponding to an effective electron temperature of 0.8 K at room temperature. Since transistor power consumption is fundamentally tied to effective electron temperature, this sub-1K cold-electron QW switching holds promise for highly energy-efficient computing.