Semiconductor heterostructure nanowire devices
AssigneeUniversity of Iowa Research Foundation
InventorsCraig Pryor, Mats-Erik Pistol
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Abstract
Nanowire devices comprising core-shell or segmented nanowires are provided. In these nanowire devices, strain can be used as a tool to form metallic portions in nanowires made from compound semiconductor materials, and/or to create nanowires in which embedded quantum dots experience negative hydrostatic pressure or high positive hydrostatic pressure, whereby a phase transitions may occur, and/or to create exciton crystals.
Claims20
A heterostructure semiconductor nanowire device, comprising:
- a first portion comprising a first compound semiconductor material;
- and
- a second portion adjacent to the first portion and comprising a second compound semiconductor material,
- wherein the first compound semiconductor material and the second compound semiconductor material are selected such that at least one of the first portion or the second portion is substantially metallic.
A nanoelectronics system, comprising:
- a heterostructure semiconductor nanowire device comprising:
- a first portion comprising a first compound semiconductor material;
- and
- a second portion adjacent to the first portion and comprising a second compound semiconductor material,
- wherein the first and second compound semiconductor materials are selected such that at least one of the first portion or the second portion is substantially metallic and forms a contact of the device;
- and
- an external circuit electrically coupled to the device through the contact.
A method of forming an integral electrical contact to a nanoelectronics device, the method comprising:
- providing the nanoelectronics device with a heterostructure having a first portion comprising a first compound semiconductor material, and a second portion adjacent to the first portion and comprising a second compound semiconductor material, wherein at least one of the first portion or the second portion is substantially metallic as the result of a strain-induced semiconductor-to-metallic phase transition;
- and
- electrically coupling the contact with an external circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.