High mobility one- and two-dimensional electron systems in nanowire-based quantum heterostructures

Nano Lett. 2013;13(12):6189-96. doi: 10.1021/nl403561w. Epub 2013 Dec 2.

Abstract

Free-standing semiconductor nanowires in combination with advanced gate-architectures hold an exceptional promise as miniaturized building blocks in future integrated circuits. However, semiconductor nanowires are often corrupted by an increased number of close-by surface states, which are detrimental with respect to their optical and electronic properties. This conceptual challenge hampers their potentials in high-speed electronics and therefore new concepts are needed in order to enhance carrier mobilities. We have introduced a novel type of core-shell nanowire heterostructures that incorporate modulation or remote doping and hence may lead to high-mobility electrons. We demonstrate the validity of such concepts using inelastic light scattering to study single modulation-doped GaAs/Al0.16Ga0.84As core-multishell nanowires grown on silicon. We conclude from a detailed experimental study and theoretical analysis of the observed spin and charge density fluctuations that one- and two-dimensional electron channels are formed in a GaAs coaxial quantum well spatially separated from the donor ions. A total carrier density of about 3 × 10(7) cm(-1) and an electron mobility in the order of 50,000 cm(2)/(V s) are estimated. Spatial mappings of individual GaAs/Al0.16Ga0.84As core-multishell nanowires show inhomogeneous properties along the wires probably related to structural defects. The first demonstration of such unambiguous 1D- and 2D-electron channels and the respective charge carrier properties in these advanced nanowire-based quantum heterostructures is the basis for various novel nanoelectronic and photonic devices.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arsenicals / chemistry*
  • Crystallization
  • Electrons
  • Gallium / chemistry*
  • Nanotechnology
  • Nanowires / chemistry*
  • Quantum Dots / chemistry
  • Semiconductors*
  • Silicon / chemistry

Substances

  • Arsenicals
  • gallium arsenide
  • Gallium
  • Silicon