Isolating and moving single atoms using silicon nanocrystals
US7790051B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 31, 2007 |
| Grant date | Sep 7, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 13, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/888
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
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.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.