Electrometry on charge traps with a single-electron transistor

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a method for detecting and analyzing individual charge traps using a single-electron transistor, revealing detailed trap behavior and locations through electrometric sensing and electrostatic modeling.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to study charge fluctuators individually with a modified single-electron pump and feedback operation.

Findings

Identification of charge trapping transitions via pulse height spectra

Observation of hysteresis in charge trapping behavior

Determination of trap locations through electrostatic calculations

Abstract

Background charge fluctuators are studied individually by means of a modified single-electron pump. Operation of the device in a feedback mode allows electrometric sensing of the charged background and its behavior upon electric potential variations due to geometrically different gates. Pulse height spectra and hysteresis of charge trapping transitions are discussed as a specific signature of distinct fluctuators. The location of individual traps is determined from the experimental data and based on electrostatic calculations.