Use of atomic force microscope for the synthesis of GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure base one-dimensional structure

Abstract

Electron transport in low-dimensional structures is often studied using semiconductor heterostructures with two-dimensional electron gas in which insulating regions separating the conducting channel from the gates are synthesized using one of available methods. These structures are distinguished by the high quality of the initial wafers and the necessity to change the surface topology during the study, this making photolithography ineffective. In this work we analyze the technology of insulating grooves that uses atomic force microscope, i.e. the pulse force nanolithography, which allows either treating single samples or forming narrow and deep grooves on semiconductor surfaces to provide good insulation. The experimentally measured transport characteristics of the nanostructures produced using this method confirm channel conductance quantization and the absence of large quantities of introduced defects.