A Novel High-Speed Electrometer for Nanoscale Electronic Device Research

提出了一种用于量子效应电子学和计算领域研究的高速、高灵敏度单电子探测器的研制。该静电计将直接应用于量子元胞自动机（QCA）的研究，以实现基于纳米结构的逻辑电路，这将对单电子晶体管（SET）和QCA开关动力学以及高速QCA电路的性能产生重要的影响。 以前的工作已经证明了基于QCA的数字逻辑的可行性;逻辑门和锁存器已经在实验中得到了验证。仍然需要的是对这些器件的高速能力进行实验验证。 一旦这已经实现，真实的应用可以考虑采用基于纳米结构的logic.The拟议的研究将使这成为可能。 与传统方法相比，该技术使用谐振单电子晶体管（SET）传感器的反射系数的变化，而不是试图直接感测SET中的电压或电流。电容耦合的外部电荷改变SET的隧道结中的电导（经由库仑阻塞）。 这项拟议的工作将为本科生和研究生提供在纳米结构为基础的设备和电路研究的绝佳机会，以及作为一种工具，用于演示，在教授费的微波电路设计课程（EE 458），在一个新的和非传统的背景下使用微波频率工程概念。拟议的工作还将加强QCA电路以外应用的研究基础设施，因为高速静电计将使科学和工程领域的许多实验成为可能。

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.