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Fabrication of point contacts by FIB patterning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 November 2009

B. O'Gorman  and
M. Tsoi
B. O'Gorman*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
M. Tsoi
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
*
[email protected]
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Abstract

We describe a new technique for the fabrication of point contacts using a focused ion beam (FIB) patterning. After sample coverage with a thin insulating layer (SiO), an FIB is used to mill a 100-nm-diameter hole through the insulator. Electrical contact to the sample is then made in-situ by filling the hole with a metal (Pt) using the ion beam assisted chemical vapor deposition capability of our FIB system. We have demonstrated the use of two such contacts (as an emitter and collector) in a transverse electron focusing (TEF) experiment. The contacts were made to a single crystal of bismuth, ballistic electrons were injected into the crystal through the emitter contact and then focused onto the collector by a magnetic field. We see the expected voltage peaks at the collector as a function of the applied magnetic field. Temperature dependent TEF measurements provided direct information about relaxation time of conduction electrons.

Keywords

Type
Research Article
Information
The European Physical Journal - Applied Physics , Volume 49 , Issue 1: 17th International Colloquium on Plasma Processes (CIP 2009) , January 2010 , 10801
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2009

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References

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