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Electron boxing – rules of the game

Shin et al. (http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1001/1001.3724.pdf) has obtained a very interesting switching diagram for a nearly isolated CMOS transistor close to pinch-out:

Figure 2c: Stability plot at room temperature; each diamond corresponds to a stable charge configuration state with fixed electron occupancy N.

The combined effects from multiple quantizations are causing big problems with current device technologies due to chaotic behavior (unintentional quantum dots and quantum point contacts) within the traditional CMOS circuitry. But as we go even further down in size, the quantization will ultimately lead to enhanced stability and device efficiency – if used correctly as in the single-electron transistor Shen et al measured here.

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