Fabrication of one-dimensional silicon nanowire structures with a self-aligned point contact

The propose a novel one-dimensional Si nanowire structure with a point contact. Wire structures are fabricated in a {110} Si layer by using KOH solution. Both the {111} planes projecting obliquely along the wire and the vertical {111} sidewalls of the wire are spontaneously exposed. By oxidation of this {111} plane structure, the wire structure is converted into the one-dimensional nanowire structure. In addition, since the nanowire structure is based on a form of the {111} plane structure, the planes projecting obliquely produces a point-contact structure which gradually increases in diameter toward the source and drain regions. The Si nanowires fabricated by this technique shows clear quantized conductance with little fluctuation on the plateaus.