RESONANT TUNNELING QUANTUM-DOT DIODES - PHYSICS, LIMITATIONS, AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROSPECTS

We address the electronic structure and properties of the present generation of resonant-tunneling quantum-dot structures. Quantum dots are "zero-dimensional" semiconductor nanostructures, i.e., structures in which an electron is quantum-mechanically confined in all three spatial dimensions. Quantum dots appear to represent a viable structure to allow the continued down-scaling of critical circuit geometries beyond the currently perceived limits for conventional VLSI devices. As they are currently fabricated, however, quantum-dot diodes have impediments which prevent the full realization of their potential. We will assess these limitations and discuss measures for their solution.