Room-Temperature Operation of Current Switching Circuit Using Integrated Silicon Single-Hole Transistors

We report the first room-temperature (RT) circuit operation using two integrated silicon single-hole transistors. We have developed a controllable fabrication process for silicon single-hole transistors (SHTs) in the form of ultranarrow-wire-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) whose channel is formed by reactive ion etching, wet etching, and slight thermal oxidation. Ultralarge Coulomb blockade (CB) oscillation with a peak-to-valley current ratio of over 103 (highest ever reported) is observed at RT in a fabricated SHT. A current switching circuit using two SHTs integrated under a single gate is successfully operated at RT. We also demonstrate the technique for controlling CB oscillation peaks by charge injection into silicon nanocrystal floating gates embedded in the gate oxide of SHTs at RT.