Simultaneous fabrication of nanogap electrodes using field-emission-induced electromigration

Journal Article · Tue Jul 07 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4923411· OSTI ID:22490755

Ito, Mitsuki; Yagi, Mamiko; Morihara, Kohei; Shirakashi, Jun-ichi ^[1]

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1. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 (Japan)

We present a simple technique for simultaneous control of the electrical properties of multiple Ni nanogaps. This technique is based on electromigration induced by a field emission current and is called “activation.” Simultaneous tuning of the tunnel resistance of multiple nanogaps was achieved by passing a Fowler–Nordheim (F-N) field emission current through an initial group of three Ni nanogaps connected in series. The Ni nanogaps, which had asymmetrical shapes with initial gap separations in the 80–110-nm range, were fabricated by electron-beam lithography and a lift-off process. By performing the activation procedure, the current–voltage properties of the series-connected nanogaps were varied simultaneously from “insulating” to “metallic” via “tunneling” properties by increasing the preset current of the activation procedure. We can also simultaneously control the tunnel resistances of the series-connected nanogaps, which range from a resistance of the order of 100 TΩ–100 kΩ, by increasing the preset current from 1 nA to 30 μA. This tendency is quite similar to that of individually activated nanogaps, and the tunnel resistance values of the simultaneously activated nanogaps were almost the same at each preset current. These results clearly imply that the electrical properties of the series-connected nanogaps can be controlled simultaneously via the activation procedure.

• OSTI ID: 22490755
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 118; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CONTROL
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRODES
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTROPHORESIS
FABRICATION
FIELD EMISSION
TUNING
TUNNEL EFFECT