A Novel High-Speed Electrometer for Nanoscale Electronic Device Research

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The development of a high-speed,high sensitivity single-electron detector for research in the area of quantum-effect electronics and computing is proposed. The electrometer will be applied directly to the study of quantum cellular automata (QCA)for the implementation of logic circuits using anostructures.The proposed work will result significant progress in both the understanding of single-electron transistor (SET)and QCA switching dynamics as well as the performance of high-speed QCA circuits. Previous work has shown the feasibility of QCA-based digital logic;logic gates and latches have already been demonstrated experimentally.What is still needed is experimental verification of the high speed capabilities of these devices. Once this has been achieved, real applications can be contemplated which employ nanostructure-based logic.The proposed research will make this possible.The proposed detector is based on a sub-nanosecond temporal resolution continuous-wave micro-wave-frequency reflectometer. In contrast to conventional approaches, this technique uses changes in the reflection coefficient of a resonant single electron transistor (SET)sensor rather than attempting to directly sense the voltage or current in the SET.The capacitively-coupled external charge changes the conductance (via the Coulomb blockade)in the SET 's tunnel junctions. This proposed work will provide both undergraduate and graduate students with excellent opportunities for research in nanostructure-based devices and circuits,as well as serve as a vehicle for demonstrating, in Prof.Fay 's Microwave Circuit Design course (EE 458), the use of microwave-frequency engineering concepts in a novel and unconventional context. The proposed work will also enhance research infrastructure for applications other than QCA-based circuits, since the high-speed electrometer will enable numerous experiments in a variety of fields in science and engineering that are not yet possible.