Keithley KEI Nano DiffCond Article free download

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New dG Measurement Methods Reveal Nanodevice Characteristics Faster, at Lower Cost Jennifer Makupson Keithley Instruments, Inc. Ohm's Law May Not Be Relevant importantmeasurementsmadeonnanoscale Since differential conductance (dI/dV) The demand for smaller, lower power devices,butitpresentsauniquesetofchal- is directly proportional to the density of electronic devices is fueling nanotechnol- lenges.Fortunately,newmeasurementtech- states, it is the most direct measurement of ogy development. Researchers are striving niques are making this type of study much this phenomenon. Such measurements can to understand the quantum level structure easier. identifyconditionsunderwhichconductance andbehaviorofnanoscaledevicesandhow reaches a maximum, i.e., the electron ener- theseaffectelectricalproperties.Thismakes Applications for Differential gies(eV)wherenanoscalematerialelectrons itpossible,forexample,toobserveorpredict Conductance Measurements arethemostactive.Thisallowsresearchers when tunneling occurs, calculate a device's Differential conductance measurements tocharacterizethenumberofenergyoptions densityofstates,understandconductionphe- areperformedinmanyapplicationsbutmay availabletoanelectronasitfallsintoalower nomenon in cryogenic environments, and haveanumberofaliases.Theseinclude: energylevelbygivingupenergyorasitas- create artificial atoms in which energy quan-