An all-chromium single electron transistor: A possible new element of single electronics

The realization of an all-chromium single electron tunneling (SET) transistor is reported. Chromium was chosen as a normal metal with small grain structure forming the oxide layer with a low potential barrier and great chemical and thermal stability. The transistor showed classical I-V curves with an offset voltage of 450 μV and an amplitude of gate modulation of 160 μV. Fitting a tunnel current expression in the experimental I-V curve gave a height of the potential barrier φ=170 meV and a width of the barrier d=16 Å. The SET transistor showed a charge sensitivity of 7×10−4 e/Hz1/2 at 10 Hz.