An all‐chromium single electron transistor: A possible new element of single electronics

The realization of an all‐chromium single electron tunneling (SET) transistor is reported. Chromium was chosen as a normal metal with small grain structure forming the oxide layer with a low potential barrier and great chemical and thermal stability. The transistor showed classical I‐V curves with an offset voltage of 450 μV and an amplitude of gate modulation of 160 μV. Fitting a tunnel current expression in the experimental I‐V curve gave a height of the potential barrier φ=170 meV and a width of the barrier d=16 A. The SET transistor showed a charge sensitivity of 7×10−4 e/Hz1/2 at 10 Hz.