Paper NS+EM-WeM12
Four Independent STM Navigated by High Resolution UHV SEM: Transport Measurements on In-Situ Grown Titanium Silicide Nanowires on Si(111)

Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 11:40 am, Room 616

A major challenge in Nanotechnology is the incorporation of single nano-devices into larger integrated circuits. Traditional instrumentation suffers from one fundamental issue: How to cover the dimensional range of a fully integrated circuit down to the nanometer range (or even atomic scale) of single devices and have an adequate integrated navigation system. To meet these requirements, we have established and being advancing a new approach to integrating state-of-the-art SPM technology via high resolution electron microscopy and spectroscopy: (1) Bridging dimensions and rapid navigation; (2) Combining different surface analysis methods at the very same sample area to gain complementary information; (3) Integrated position-readout of sample and probe positioning; (4) Pushing each single technology to its inherent limits. The system facilitates four independent Scanning Tunnelling Microscopes and the UHV version of the Zeiss Gemini SEM column with ultimate resolution below 4nm for probe navigation and rapid localisation of sample features or devices. STM imaging is used to pro-actively position and contact the probe(s) on nano-devices. Using STM probe approach technology, a controlled electrical contact is ensured to finally perform a four-point measurement on the nano-scale. We report on electrical measurements on self-assembled titanium silicide nanowires (NWs) in-situ grown on a Si(111) surface. Transport measurements have been taken in 2-point and 4-point configuration. The transport measurements indicate metallic behavior for the silicide nanowires and that the NWs are electronically decoupled from the Si surface and reveal a Schottky barrier between the NWs and the Si surface.