Novel method for fabrication of nanoscale single-electron transistors: Electron beam induced deposition of Pt and atomic layer deposition of tunnel barriers

A novel method for fabricating metal-based single-electron transistors (SETs) is reported that combines a nanoscale island produced via electron beam induced deposition (EBID) of Pt metal with a tunnel barrier dielectric produced via atomic layer deposition (ALD) of alumina (Al2O3). A characteristic nonlinearity in Ids-Vds and Coulomb blockade oscillations of the SET are observed at 300 mK. The versatility of the EBID method provides a way to fabricate 3D structures that could be particularly useful in a number of charge sensing applications and which, combined with the accuracy and precise control that ALD provides for the SET's tunnel barriers, greatly expands the choice of techniques suitable for SET fabrication. (C) 2011 American Vacuum Society. [DOI: 10.1116/1.3640752]