Patent · US Expired

Nanowhiskers with pn junctions, doped nanowhiskers, and methods for preparing them

US7432522B2 · kind B2 · utility

19Cited by
18References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 1, 2004
Grant dateOct 7, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 2, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S977/932
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Nano-engineered structures are disclosed, incorporating nanowhiskers of high mobility conductivity and incorporating pn junctions. In one embodiment, a nanowhisker of a first semiconducting material has a first band gap, and an enclosure comprising at least one second material with a second band gap encloses said nanoelement along at least part of its length, the second material being doped to provide opposite conductivity type charge carriers in respective first and second regions along the length of the of the nanowhisker, whereby to create in the nanowhisker by transfer of charge carriers into the nanowhisker, corresponding first and second regions of opposite conductivity type charge carriers with a region depleted of free carriers therebetween. The doping of the enclosure material may be degenerate so as to create within the nanowhisker adjacent segments having very heavy modulation doping of opposite conductivity type analogous to the heavily doped regions of an Esaki diode. In another embodiment, a nanowhisker is surrounded by polymer material containing dopant material. A step of rapid thermal annealing causes the dopant material to diffuse into the nanowhisker. In a furthe…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.