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Donats Erts

Publications and source records attributed to Donats Erts.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

High density germanium nanowire assemblies: contact challenges and electrical characterization.

The conductive properties of vertically aligned germanium nanowires, with mean diameters of 50 and 100 nm, within anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) templates have been characterized by conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) and macrocontact measurements. C-AFM was used to determine the electrical transport properties of individual nanowires within the arrays, while macrocontacts were used to measure the mean current-voltage characteristics of groups of nanowires. Contact resistance between the nanowires and metal macrocontacts was minimized by polishing and gradual etching of the AAO surface, to expose the nanowires, prior to deposition of the contacts. Impedance measurements were used to analyze the importance of defects on the charge transport properties of the germanium nanowire arrays. Conductivity data from C-AFM and macrocontact measurements were found to be comparable suggesting that both methods are inherently suitable for evaluating the electrical transport properties of encapsulated nanowires within a matrix. These results are significant as the ability to make good ohmic contacts to nanowires, within well-defined arrays, is key for the future "bottom-up" fabrication of multilayered device architectures for future electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Journal Article↗

Synthesis and characterization of highly ordered cobalt-magnetite nanocable arrays.

Magnetically tunable, high-density arrays of coaxial nanocables within anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes have been synthesized. The nanocables consist of magnetite nanowires surrounded by cobalt nanotube sheaths and cobalt nanowires surrounded by magnetite nanotube sheaths. These materials are a combination of separate hard (Co) and soft (Fe3O4) magnetic materials in a single nanocable structure. The combination of two or more magnetic materials in such a radial structure is seen as a very powerful tool for the future fabrication of magnetoresistive, spin-valve and ultrafast spin-injection devices with nonplanar geometries. The nanocable arrays were prepared using a supercritical-fluid inclusion process, whereby the nanotube was first deposited onto the pore walls of the nanoporous membranes and subsequently filled with core material to form coaxial nanocables. In essence, this paper describes a technique for placing novel magnetic technologies into well-defined building blocks that may ultimately lead to new multifunctional devices, such as spin valves and high-density magnetic storage devices.

Aluminum Oxide↗

A single electron transistor on an atomic force microscope probe.

We report fabrication as well as proof-of-concept experiments of a noninvasive sensor of weak nanoscale electric fields. The sensor is a single electron transistor (SET) placed at the tip of a noncontact atomic force microscope (AFM). This is a general technology to make any nanometer-sized lithography pattern at edges or tips of a cantilever. The height control of the AFM allows the SET to hover a few nanometers above the substrate, improving both the electric field sensitivity and lateral resolution of the electrometer. Our AFM-SET sensor is prepared by a scalable technology. It means that the probe can be routinely fabricated and replaced, if broken.

Electrons↗

Ultimate-strength germanium nanowires.

Semiconducting nanowires (NWs) are important "building blocks" for potential electrical and electromechanical devices. Here, we report on the mechanical properties of supercritical fluid-grown Ge NWs with radii between 20 and 80 nm. An analysis of the bending and tensile stresses during deformation and failure reveals that while the NWs have a Young's modulus comparable to the bulk value, they have an ultimate strength of 15 GPa, which is the maximum theoretical strength of these materials. This exceptional strength is the highest reported for any conventional semiconductor material and demonstrates that these NWs are without defect or flaws that compromise the mechanical properties.

Journal Article↗

Three dimensional architectures of ultra-high density semiconducting nanowires deposited on chip.

We report a "clean" and fast process, utilizing supercritical carbon dioxide, for producing ultrahigh densities, up to 10(12) nanowires per square centimeter, of ordered germanium nanowires on silicon and quartz substrates. Uniform mesoporous thin films were employed as templates for the nucleation and growth of unidirectional nanowire arrays orientated almost perpendicular to a substrate surface. Additionally, these nanocomposite materials display room-temperature photoluminescence (PL), the energy of which is dependent on the diameter of the encased nanowires. The ability to synthesis ultrahigh-density arrays of semiconducting nanowires on-chip is a key step in future "bottom-up" fabrication of multilayered device architectures for nanoelectronic and optoelectronic devices.

Journal Article↗