Manipulating Ge quantum dots on ultrathin SixGe1-x oxide films using scanning tunneling microscope tips

摘要

Germanium quantum dots (QDs) were extracted from ultrathin SixGe1-x oxide films using scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tips. The extraction was most efficiently performed at a positive sample bias voltage of +5.0 V. The tunneling current dependence of the extraction efficiency was explained by the electric field evaporation transfer mechanism for positive Ge ions from QDs to STM tips. Ge QDs (similar to 7 nm) were formed and isolated spatially by extracting the surrounding Ge QDs with an ultrahigh density of > 10(12) cm(-2). Scanning tunneling spectroscopy of the spatially-isolated QDs revealed that QDs with an ultrahigh density are electrically-isolated from the adjacent dots. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.