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Title: Isolating and moving single atoms using silicon nanocrystals

Abstract

A method is disclosed for isolating single atoms of an atomic species of interest by locating the atoms within silicon nanocrystals. This can be done by implanting, on the average, a single atom of the atomic species of interest into each nanocrystal, and then measuring an electrical charge distribution on the nanocrystals with scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) or electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) to identify and select those nanocrystals having exactly one atom of the atomic species of interest therein. The nanocrystals with the single atom of the atomic species of interest therein can be sorted and moved using an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip. The method is useful for forming nanoscale electronic and optical devices including quantum computers and single-photon light sources.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Albuquerque, NM
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1014668
Patent Number(s):
7,790,051
Application Number:
US Patent Application 11/931,155
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Carroll, Malcolm S. Isolating and moving single atoms using silicon nanocrystals. United States: N. p., 2010. Web.
Carroll, Malcolm S. Isolating and moving single atoms using silicon nanocrystals. United States.
Carroll, Malcolm S. 2010. "Isolating and moving single atoms using silicon nanocrystals". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1014668.
@article{osti_1014668,
title = {Isolating and moving single atoms using silicon nanocrystals},
author = {Carroll, Malcolm S},
abstractNote = {A method is disclosed for isolating single atoms of an atomic species of interest by locating the atoms within silicon nanocrystals. This can be done by implanting, on the average, a single atom of the atomic species of interest into each nanocrystal, and then measuring an electrical charge distribution on the nanocrystals with scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) or electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) to identify and select those nanocrystals having exactly one atom of the atomic species of interest therein. The nanocrystals with the single atom of the atomic species of interest therein can be sorted and moved using an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip. The method is useful for forming nanoscale electronic and optical devices including quantum computers and single-photon light sources.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1014668}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Sep 07 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Tue Sep 07 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}

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  • Clark, R. G.; Brenner, R.; Buehler, T. M.
  • Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Vol. 361, Issue 1808
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