Friday talk 4 March 2011

Can Electrons Travel Like Bullets Through Solid State Devices?

Richard Taylor University of Oregon

The arrival of the transistor revolutionized the electronics industry, allowing devices to be smaller, faster and more robust. However, the abandonment of vacuum tubes for solid-state devices also marked the move from ‘clean’ ballistic to ‘messy’ diffusive conduction. Subsequent improvements in the growth of semiconductor materials, coupled with the drive toward nanoscale devices, fueled the dream of achieving solid-state ballistic devices. Ballistic semiconductor electronics promises substantial rewards for both fundamental and applied research, offering faster and more controllable motion. But is it really possible to minimize material-induced scattering sufficiently for electrons to follow bullet-like trajectories over significant distances? In this talk, I will employ a sensitive metrology technique based on quantum chaos to compare a novel, dopant-free device architecture to previous generations of semiconductor ‘billiards.’

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