LONG TERM CHARGE RELAXATION IN SILICON SINGLE ELECTRON TRANSISTORS

Coulomb blockade thermometer: Tests and instrumentation

Coulomb blockade thermometry (CBT) provides a simple method for absolute thermometry in every day laboratory use at cryogenic temperatures. CBT has been found insensitive to even high magnetic fields. We review the principles and the operation of CBT and the fabrication of the sensors, and present new data on radiation hardness and stability of the sensors. We describe the instrumentation of CBT in detail. We have developed two signal conditioning units for CBT measurements. One is a modified alternating current resistance bridge, a versatile laboratory instrument operating with a PC computer, and the other one is a simple stand-alone instrument for direct temperature reading. Test results …

Fabrication and characterization of small tunnel junctions through a thin dielectric membrane

We show that a small tapered hole through a thin silicon nitride membrane provides a mask for tunnel junction structures. Our experiments imply, unlike in the conventional planar electron beam lithography, that tunnel junctions are well voltage biased in this structure with vanishingly small on-chip impedance. Our technique allows fabrication of double junctions, and even multijunction linear arrays, with small metallic islands in between.

Single electron transistor fabricated on heavily doped silicon-on-insulator substrate

Experiments on side-gated silicon single electron transistors (SET) fabricated on a heavily doped thin silicon-on-insulator substrate are reported. Some of the devices showed single-island-like and some multi-island-like behaviour, but the properties of individual samples changed with time. Single-electron gate modulation was observable up to T=100 K, at least. A slow response of SET current to a large change in gate voltage was observed, but the process speeded up under illumination.

Background charge fluctuations in SET-transistors

We have studied fluctuations of background charges in single electron tunnelling (SET) transistors. Changes in the charge distribution of the substrate and other dielectric materials near the transistor cause uncontrolled changes in its conductivity. We have observed big differences in the type and frequency of the conductivity fluctuations between different samples, but no systematic dependence on the substrate material has been found. To obtain information about the location of the source of the charge noise, we performed coincidence measurements on two separate SET transistors which were made very near to each other. The results suggest that the conductivity fluctuations are caused by ch…

Refrigeration of a dielectric membrane by superconductor/insulator/normalmetal/insulator/superconductor tunneling

We have applied tunneling of electrons between a normal metal and a superconductor to refrigerate a thin dielectric membrane attached to the normal electrode of a superconductor/ insulator/normal-metal/insulator/superconductor (SINIS) structure. Starting from T≈200 mK, a decrease in temperature of several mK was observed, measured by a separate thermometer on the membrane. It should be straightforward to improve the refrigerator performance to the level of the recently demonstrated SINIS electron cooling method, such that the drop in the lattice temperature would be more than an order of magnitude larger.

Efficient electronic cooling in heavily doped silicon by quasiparticle tunneling

Cooling of electrons in a heavily doped silicon by quasiparticle tunneling using a superconductor–semiconductor–superconductor double-Schottky-junction structure is demonstrated at low temperatures. In this work, we use Al as the superconductor and thin silicon-on-insulator (SOI) film as the semiconductor. The electron–phonon coupling is measured for the SOI film and the low value of the coupling is shown to be the origin of the observed significant cooling effect.

First and second viscosity measurements in superfluid 3He-B

By means of diaphragm-driven flow experiments in 3He-B in a thin slab geometry, we have measured the first and second viscosities, η and 3 at pressures of 0, 5, 10 and 29.3 bar. Our measurement of 3 has better established theoretical foundations than previous measurements and also extends to higher pressures. 3 and η were deduced from the frequency dependence of the flow dissipation determined from bandwidth measurements for several normal modes of the diaphragm; a first order slip correction was used in the determination of η. Near Tc, 3 α (1 - T/Tc)-1/2 in accordance with theoretical predictions but below T/Tc ~ 0.6 we observe a rapid drop in 3 signifying a departure from the hydrodynamic…

Silicon Single Electron Transistors with Single and Multi Dot Characteristics

AbstractSilicon single electron transistors (SET) with side gate have been fabricated on a heavily doped silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. Samples demonstrate two types of characteristics: some of them demonstrate multiple dot behavior and one demonstrates single dot behavior in a wide temperature range. SETs demonstrate oscillations of drain-source current and changes in the width of the Coulomb blockade region with change of gate voltage at least up to 100 K. At temperature below 20 K long-term oscillations (relaxation) of source-drain current after switching the gate voltage has been observed in both multiple dot and single dot samples. Illumination affects both the characteristics o…

Electron–phonon coupling in degenerate silicon-on-insulator film probed using superconducting Schottky junctions

Abstract Energy flow rate in degenerate n-type silicon-on-insulator (SOI) film is studied at low temperatures. The electrons are heated above the lattice temperature by electric field and the electron temperature is measured via semiconductor–superconductor quasiparticle tunneling. The energy flow rate in the system is found to be proportional to T 5 , indicating that electron–phonon relaxation rate and electron–phonon phase breaking rate are proportional to T 3 . The electron–phonon system in the SOI film is in the “dirty limit” where the electron mean free path is smaller than the inverse of the thermal phonon wave vector.

Experiments on tunnelling in small normal-metal junctions influenced by dissipative environment: Critical comparison to the theories of quantum fluctuations

We report on experiments of charging in small normal metal tunnel junctions attached to well-defined resistive impedances. Our experiments are in very good agreement with the phase-correlation (PC) theory but not with the simplified voltage fluctuation (VF) model. The strong tunnelling corrections to the PC theory make the agreement with our results even better in the case of junctions with low resistance.

ELECTRON-PHONON COUPLING IN HEAVILY DOPED SILICON

The coupling constant in electron-phonon interaction is a very important issue in nanoscale applications. We have measured this constant in heavily doped silicon. Electron-phonon interaction is proportional to T6 and the coupling constant is found to be 1.5 × 108 W/K5m³, which is about one tenth of the value in normal metals.

Trapping of quasiparticles of a nonequilibrium superconductor

We have performed experiments where hot electrons are extracted from a normal metal into a superconductor through a tunnel junction. We have measured the cooling performance of such NIS junctions, especially in the cases where another normal metal electrode, a quasiparticle trap, is attached to the superconductor at different distances from the junction in direct metal-to-metal contact or through an oxide barrier. The direct contact at a submicron distance allows superior thermalization of the superconductor. We have analyzed theoretically the heat transport in this system. From both experiment and theory, it appears that NIS junctions can be used as refrigerators at low temperatures only w…

Proximity-induced Josephson-quasiparticle process in a single-electron transistor

We have performed the first experiments in a superconductor - normal metal - superconductor single electron transistor in which there is an extra superconducting strip partially overlapping the normal metal island in good metal-to-metal contact. Superconducting proximity effect gives rise to current peaks at voltages below the quasiparticle threshold. We interpret these peaks in terms of the Josephson-quasiparticle process and discuss their connection with the proximity induced energy gap in the normal metal island.

Effect of the electromagnetic environment on arrays of small normal metal tunnel junctions: Numerical and experimental investigation

We present results of a set of experiments to investigate the effect of dissipative external electromagnetic environment on tunneling in linear arrays of junctions in the weak tunneling regime. The influence of this resistance decreases as the number of junctions in the chain increases and ultimately becomes negligible. Further, there is a value of external impedance, typically \~5 k$\Omega$, at which the half-width of the zero-voltage dip in the conductance curve shows a maximum. Some new analytical formulae, based on the phase-correlation theory, along with numerical results will be presented.

Pedagoginen pesusieni Orff-kylvyssä

Kandidaatin tutkielmassani käsittelen Orff-pedagogiikkaa ja opettajuutta. Työni on teoriapohjainen kirjallisuuskatsaus. Lähden liikkeelle Orff-pedagogiikan yleiskatsauksesta, johon sisältyy Orff-soittimiston ja Orff-pedagogisen opetusprosessin esittely. Kolmannessa luvussa esittelen JaSeSoi ry:n Orff-kursseilla käytetyn musiikkipedagogisen koulutusohjelman opetussuunnitelman. Luvussa neljä kirjoitan kehorytmiikan kiehtovasta maailmasta seminaarityöni pohjalta. Aihe on nivottu luontevaksi osaksi tämän tutkielman Orff-henkistä kokonaisuutta. Viides luku on omistettu perusopetuksen uudelle opetussuunnitelmalle ja sen mahdollistamille Orff-sovelluksille alakoulussa. Samaan hengenvetoon nostan e…

Observation of thermally excited charge transport modes in a superconducting single-electron transistor

Experiments on a superconducting single-electron transistor are reported. A new structure in the current-voltage characteristics at subgap voltages was observed when temperature was not too low as compared to the superconducting transition temperature Tc of the sample. The strength of the anomalies increases exponentially with temperature. The dominating features arise from matching of singularities in the density of states on two sides of a tunnel junction, and from the Josephson-quasiparticle cycle. Thermal excitations are essential for the former process, and they also make the latter process possible at low voltages.

Metastability and hysteresis of the vortex states in rotating superfluid3He-B

We have investigated the vortex core transition in 3He-B by measuring the associated changes in mutual friction dissipation within the superfluid. If rotation is continuously stopped and restarted while cooling or warming then the transition occurs at a clearly defined temperature, but temperature sweeps during continuous rotation show substantial supercooling and superheating. Moreover, the high temperature vortex shows a continuum of metastable states when supercooled to a constant, arbitrary low temperature, the mutual friction dissipaton depending on the temperature at which rotation was started. Our current interpretation is that the high temperature vortex state is a temperature-depen…

Coulomb blockade-based nanothermometry in strong magnetic fields

We have performed experiments to test for the susceptibility to strong magnetic fields of electron tunneling in normal metal -based nanostructures for Coulomb blockade primary thermometry. We have confirmed that, to within our accuracy of about ±1%, the single electron charging -induced zero bias differential resistance maximum is unaffected by the field up to 23 T at temperatures of 0.4–4.2 K. We discuss the simple theoretical basis of this immunity. We also report on the practical limitation at low temperatures imposed by superconductivity of aluminium in small magnetic fields.

Cooling of a superconductor by quasiparticle tunneling

We have extended the cryogenic cooling method based on tunneling between a superconductor and another metal to the case when both metals are superconducting but when their energy gaps are different; earlier, this method was applied between a superconductor and a normal metal. The electron system of a titanium strip with the superconducting transition temperature Tc2=0.51 K has been cooled from 1.02Tc2 to below 0.7Tc2 by this method, using aluminum as the other superconductor.

NIS chip refrigeration

A normal-metal/insulator/superconductor (NIS) tunnel junction can be applied to cool electrons by biasing the junction suitably with external voltage. Two NIS junctions in series can form an efficient microrefrigerator because of the symmetry with bias voltage. Our SINIS microrefrigerator has been capable of reaching electronic temperatures of about 100 mK starting from 300 mK. To achieve appreciable refrigeration of the underlying lattice, the microrefrigerator must be thermally decoupled from the bulk substrate. We have demonstrated experimentally the reduction of lattice temperature by 23 mK at 180 mK by extending the normal electrode on a thin dielectric membrane with four suspended bri…

Feasibility of Coulomb blockade thermometry in metrology

Abstract Coulomb blockade thermometer (CBT) is a simple, magnetic-field-independent primary thermometer for everyday use at cryogenic temperatures. Its properties are well understood by now. The absolute accuracy at present is about ±0.5%. Recently, we have started studying the possibility of using CBT in metrological applications. We have especially in mind the future extension of the international temperature scale below 0.65 K, which is the lower end of ITS-90. Experiments with arrays containing more than 100 tunnel junctions in series are in progress in order to decrease the effects of electromagnetic environment and of co-tunnelling even below the present level.

Microrefrigeration by quasiparticle tunnelling in NIS and SIS junctions

Abstract A solid-state refrigeration method at sub-kelvin temperatures has been developed. It is based on quasiparticle tunnelling between a superconductor and a normal metal, or, between two dissimilar superconducting metals. The refrigerator is fabricated by combining nanolithography and micromachining methods. This technique has been demonstrated in both electron cooling from 0.3 to 0.1 K and in refrigeration of a dielectric platform. We describe a new fabrication method of tunnel junctions in a shadow evaporation configuration using a mechanical mask of silicon nitride.

Resonant Tunneling through a Macroscopic Charge State in a Superconducting Single Electron Transistor

We predict theoretically and observe in experiment that the differential conductance of a superconducting single electron transistor exhibits a peak which is a complete analog, in a macroscopic system, of a standard resonant tunneling peak associated with tunneling through a single quantum state. In particular, in a symmetric transistor, the peak height is universal and equal to ${e}^{2}/2\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\Elzxh}$. Away from the resonance we clearly observe the cotunneling current which, in contrast to the normal-metal transistor, varies linearly with the bias voltage.

Silicon quantum point contact with aluminum gate

Fabrication and electrical properties of silicon quantum point contacts are reported. The devices are fabricated on bonded silicon on insulator (SOI) wafers by combining CMOS process steps and e-beam lithography. Mobility of 9000 cm2 Vs−1 is measured for a 60 nm-thick SOI film at 10 K. Weak localization data is used to estimate the phase coherence length at 4.2 K The point contacts show step like behaviour in linear response conductance at 1.5 K. At 200 mK universal conductance fluctuations begin to dominate the conductance curve. The effective diameter of quantum point constrictions of the devices are estimated to be 30–40 nm. This estimate is based on TEM analysis of test structures and A…

Microrefrigeration by normal-metal/ insulator/superconductor tunnel junctions

Abstract A normal-metal/insulator/superconductor (NIS) tunnel junction can be applied to cool electrons by biasing the junction suitably with external voltage. Because of the symmetry with bias voltage, two NIS junctions in series can form an efficient microrefrigerator. So far our SINIS microrefrigerator has been capable of reaching electronic temperatures of about 100 mK starting from 300 mK. To achieve appreciable refrigeration of the underlying lattice, microrefrigerator must be thermally decoupled from the bulk substrate. We have demonstrated experimentally the reduction of lattice temperature of a few mK at 200 mK by extending the normal electrode on a thin dielectric membrane. Method…

Vortex mutual friction in rotating superfluid 3He

The Manchester rotating cryostat has been used to measure the longitudinal and transverse coefficients of vortex mutual friction in the A and B phases of superfluid 3He. In the B phase the dominant contribution to the mutual friction is scattering of excitations off occupied bound states in the vortex core. The A phase results are explained quantitatively by assuming that doubly quantised continuous vortices are created with a dynamics determined by the equation of motion of the orbital vector I; the measurements enable us to put an upper limit on the orbital inertia of less than 0.01h{stroke} per Cooper pair. History-dependent textural effects which had to be overcome in order to make mean…