Surface assembly and ultrafast operation of all-nanoscale resonant-tunneling transistors

Abstract

Realization of a robust nanotube-heterostructure tunneling transistors [Solid State Comm. 116, p. 569 (2000)] requires the difficult formation [Science 293, p. 76 (2001)] of a central nanoscale barrier separating a pair of outside metallic leads. Here I suggest an alternative surface-based assembly based on self-organization of one-dimensional metallic states on oxides and trapping well-resolved resonant orbitals in a central island. I present and explain the (universal) transistor characteristics and robustness. In addition, I calculate typical the island/level-to-gate capacitance to predict ultrafast (beyond-THz) switching but also document a limited importance of Coulomb blockade effects in the (nanotube) resonant-tunneling transistors.