Quantum transport in ultra-scaled phosphorous-doped silicon nanowires

Highly phosphorous-doped nanowires in silicon (Si:P NW) represent the ultimate nanowire scaling limit of 1 atom thickness and a few atoms width. Experimental data are compared to an atomistic full-band model. Charge-potential self-consistency is computed by solving the exchange-correlation LDA corrected Schrödinger-Poisson equation. Transport through donor bands is observed in [110] Si:P NW at low temperature. The semi-metallic conductance computed in the ballistic regime agrees well with the experiment. Sensitivity of the NW properties on doping constant and placement disorder on the channel is addressed. The modeling confirms that the nanowires are semi-metallic and transport can be gate modulated.