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Double Layer Local Anodic Oxidation Using Atomic Force Microscopy

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Tip-Based Nanofabrication

Abstract

Double-layer local anodic oxidation is a powerful method for fabricating complex semiconductor nanostructures. Here we review the application of this technique to Ga[Al]As heterostructures with titanium top gate electrodes. After short historical remarks, the details of the experimental oxidation setup, and the most relevant physical aspects of the involved materials are described. The experimental procedures and the influence of the key parameters are discussed for both the direct oxidation of Ga[Al]As and the oxidation of titanium. The power of the technique is corroborated by an overview over fabricated devices ranging from a single few-electron quantum dot to a complex quantum circuit comprising an Aharonov-Bohm ring with two embedded mutually coupled quantum dots, and an integrated charge read-out coupled capacitively.

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Abbreviations

2DEG:

Two-dimensional electron gas

AC:

Alternating current

AFM:

Atomic force microscope

DC:

Direct current

DQD:

Double quantum dot

FWHM:

Full width at half maximum

HEMT:

High-electron-mobility transistor

LAO:

Local anodic oxidation

MBE:

Molecular beam epitaxy

MOSFET:

Metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor

PMMA:

Poly(methyl methacrylate)

QD:

Quantum dot

QPC:

Quantum point contact

SFM:

Scanning force microscope

SPM:

Scanning probe microscope

STM:

Scanning tunneling microscope

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Solid State Physics Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Urszula Gasser, Martin Sigrist, Simon Gustavsson, Klaus Ensslin & Thomas Ihn

  2. Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Simon Gustavsson

Authors
  1. Urszula Gasser
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  2. Martin Sigrist
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  3. Simon Gustavsson
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  4. Klaus Ensslin
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  5. Thomas Ihn
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Correspondence to Thomas Ihn .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Mechanical &, Aerospace Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA

    Ampere A. Tseng

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Gasser, U., Sigrist, M., Gustavsson, S., Ensslin, K., Ihn, T. (2011). Double Layer Local Anodic Oxidation Using Atomic Force Microscopy. In: Tseng, A. (eds) Tip-Based Nanofabrication. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9899-6_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9899-6_3

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