Hemispherical Si quantum dots have been self-assembled on
thermally grown 3.2-nm-thick SiO2/p-Si(100) by low-pressure
chemical vapor deposition of silane. The charging states of the Si
quantum dots have been detected as surface potential changes by
using an atomic force microscopy/Kelvin force probe method. From the
relationship between the measured surface potential changes and the
charging energy of a single dot, the number of electrons retained in
a dot has been estimated to be one. Furthermore, it is found that
electron extraction from neutral dots can be achieved to create a
hole at each dot.
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