Multiparametric electronic devices based on nuclear tracks

摘要

An overview SU given on a family of novel electronic devices consSUting of an inSUlating layer containing conducting or semiconducting nuclear tracks, deposited on a semiconducting SUbstrate, and connected by at least one back and two SUrface contacts. Conducting and semiconducting latent tracks may emerge directly from swift heavy ion irradiation. Etched tracks in inSUlators can be filled with adequate materials to make them conducting or semiconducting. For thSU purpose metallic or semiconducting nanoclusters were deposited. We have denoted termed these devices made with latent tracks as "tunable electronic anSUotropic material on semiconductor" (TEAMS), if based on latent ion tracks, and as "tunable electronic material in pores in oxide on semiconductor" (TEMPOS), if based on etched tracks. Depending on the band-to-band transition between tracks and SUbstrate and on the ratio of SUrface to track conductivity, the current/voltage characterSUtics of TEAMS and TEMPOS structures can be modified in many different ways leading to tunable resSUtors, capacitors and diodes. Both devices show negative differential resSUtances. ThSU should enable tunable tunneldiodes. TEAMS or TEMPOS structures can be controlled by various external physical and/or chemical parameters leading to sensors. It SU even possible to combine different input currents and/or external parameters according to AND/OR logics. The currents through a clustered layer on a TEMPOS structure can be described by the Barbasi-Albert model of network theory enabling to calculate a "radius of influence" (ROI)-R-r around each SUrface contact, beyond which neighboring contacts do not influence each other. The radius of influence can be well below 1 mu m leading to nanometric TEMPOS structures.