Single-atom transistor: Difference between revisions

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A Single'''single-Atomatom Transistortransistor''' is a device that allows tocan open and close an [[electrical circuit]] by the controlled and reversible repositioning of one single [[atom]]. The Singlesingle-Atomatom Transistortransistor was invented and first demonstrated in 20042002 by ProfDr. ThomasFangqing SchimmelXie andin hisProf. teamThomas ofSchimmel's scientistsGroup at the [[Karlsruhe Institute of Technology]] (former University of Karlsruhe).<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Xie | first1=F.-Q. Xie,| last2=Nittler | first2=L. Nittler,| last3=Obermair | first3=Ch. Obermair,| last4=Schimmel | first4=Th. Schimmel,| Phys.title=Gate-Controlled Rev.Atomic Quantum Switch | journal=Physical Review Letters | publisher=American Physical Society (APS) | volume=93 | issue=12 | date=2004-09-15 | issn=0031-9007 | Lettdoi=10.1103/physrevlett.93,.128303 | page=128303| (2004)pmid=15447312 | bibcode=2004PhRvL..93l8303X }}</ref> By means of a small electrical voltage applied to a control [[electrode]], the so-called Gate''gate electrode'', a single silver atom is reversibly moved in and out of a tiny junction, in this way closing and opening an electrical contact.

== Single-Atom Transistor ==

Therefore, the single-atom transistor works as an atomic [[switch]] or atomic [[relay]], where the switchable atom opens and closes the gap between two tiny electrodes called ''source'' and ''drain''.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Xie | first1=Fang-Qing | last2=Obermair | first2=Christian | last3=Schimmel | first3=Thomas | title=Switching an electrical current with atoms: the reproducible operation of a multi-atom relay | journal=Solid State Communications | publisher=Elsevier BV | volume=132 | issue=7 | year=2004 | issn=0038-1098 | doi=10.1016/j.ssc.2004.08.024 | pages=437–442| bibcode=2004SSCom.132..437X }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1=Xie | first1=F.-Q. | last2=Maul | first2=R. | last3=Augenstein | first3=A. | last4=Obermair | first4=Ch. | last5=Starikov | first5=E. B. | last6=Schön | first6=G. | last7=Schimmel | first7=Th. | last8=Wenzel | first8=W. |display-authors=5| title=Independently Switchable Atomic Quantum Transistors by Reversible Contact Reconstruction | journal=Nano Letters | volume=8 | issue=12 | date=2008-12-10 | issn=1530-6984 | doi=10.1021/nl802438c | pages=4493–4497| pmid=19367974 | arxiv=0904.0904 | bibcode=2008NanoL...8.4493X | s2cid=5191373 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1=Obermair | first1=Ch. | last2=Xie | first2=F.-Q. | last3=Schimmel | first3=Th. | title=The Single-Atom Transistor: perspectives for quantum electronics on the atomic-scale | journal=Europhysics News | publisher=EDP Sciences | volume=41 | issue=4 | year=2010 | issn=0531-7479 | doi=10.1051/epn/2010403 | pages=25–28| bibcode=2010ENews..41d..25O | doi-access=free | url=https://www.europhysicsnews.org/10.1051/epn/2010403/pdf }}</ref> The single-atom transistor opens perspectives for the development of future atomic-scale logics and quantum electronics.

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A Single-Atom Transistor is a device that allows to open and close an electrical circuit by the controlled and reversible repositioning of one single atom. The Single-Atom Transistor was invented and first demonstrated in 2004 by Prof. Thomas Schimmel and his team of scientists at the [[Karlsruhe Institute of Technology]] (former University of Karlsruhe).<ref> F.-Q. Xie, L. Nittler, Ch. Obermair, Th. Schimmel, Phys. Rev. Lett.93, 128303 (2004)</ref> By means of a small electrical voltage applied to a control electrode, the so-called Gate electrode, a single atom is reversibly moved in and out of a tiny junction, in this way closing and opening an electrical contact.

At the same time, the device of the Karlsruhe team of researchers marks the lower limit of minaturization[[miniaturization]], as feature sizes smaller than one atom cannot be produced [[Nanolithography|lithographically]]. The device represents a quantum transistor, the conductance of the Sourcesource-Draindrain channel being defined by the rules of [[quantum mechanics]]. It can be operated at room temperature and at ambient conditions, i.e. neither cooling nor vacuum are required. <ref>{{cite F.-Q.journal | last1=Xie, R.| first1=Fangqing | last2=Maul, Ch.| first2=Robert | last3=Obermair, G.| Schön,first3=Christian W.| last4=Wenzel, Th.| first4=Wolfgang | last5=Schön | first5=Gerd | last6=Schimmel, | first6=Thomas | title=Multilevel Atomic-Scale Transistors Based on Metallic Quantum Point Contacts | journal=Advanced Materials | publisher=Wiley | volume=22, 2033| (issue=18 | date=2010)-02-01 | issn=0935-9648 | doi=10.1002/adma.200902953 | pages=2033–2036| pmid=20544888 | bibcode=2010AdM....22.2033X | s2cid=28378720 | url=https://publikationen.bibliothek.kit.edu/1000018062/150079259 }}</ref>

Few atom transistors have been developed at [[Waseda University]] and at Italian CNR by Takahiro Shinada and Enrico Prati, who observed the Anderson–Mott transition{{clarification needed|date=July 2023}} in miniature by employing arrays of only two, four and six individually implanted [[Arsenic|As]] or [[Phosphorus|P]] atoms.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Prati | first1=Enrico | last2=Hori | first2=Masahiro | last3=Guagliardo | first3=Filippo | last4=Ferrari | first4=Giorgio | last5=Shinada | first5=Takahiro | title=Anderson–Mott transition in arrays of a few dopant atoms in a silicon transistor | journal=Nature Nanotechnology | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=7 | issue=7 | year=2012 | issn=1748-3387 | doi=10.1038/nnano.2012.94 | pages=443–447| pmid=22751223 | bibcode=2012NatNa...7..443P }}</ref>

Therefore, the Single-Atom Transistor works as an atomic switch or atomic relais, where the switchable atom opens and closes the gap between two tiny electrodes called Source and Drain.<ref>F.-Q. Xie, Ch. Obermair and Th. Schimmel, Solid State Communications 132, 437 (2004)</ref> <ref> F.-Q. Xie, R. Maul, A. Augenstein, Ch. Obermair, E.B. Starikov, G. Schön, Th. Schimmel, W. Wenzel, Nano Lett. 8 (12),4493 (2008)</ref> <ref> Ch. Obermair, F.-Q. Xie, Th. Schimmel, Europhysics News 41/4, 25-28 (2010)</ref> The Single-Atom Transistor opens perspectives for the development of future atomic-scale logics and quantum electronics.

== See also ==

* [[QFET]] (quantum field-effect transistor)

At the same time, the device of the Karlsruhe team of researchers marks the lower limit of minaturization, as feature sizes smaller than one atom cannot be produced lithographically. The device represents a quantum transistor, the conductance of the Source-Drain channel being defined by the rules of quantum mechanics. It can be operated at room temperature and at ambient conditions, i.e. neither cooling nor vacuum are required. <ref> F.-Q. Xie, R. Maul, Ch. Obermair, G. Schön, W. Wenzel, Th. Schimmel, Advanced Materials 22, 2033 (2010)</ref>

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* Beilstein TV Video of the Schimmel group: [http://www.beilstein.tv/tvpost/the-single-atom-transistor-perspectives-for-quantum-electronics-at-room-temperature/ The single-atom transistor – perspectives for quantum electronics at room temperature] (link offline)

[[Category:Transistors]]

[[Category:Condensed matter physics]]