Si nanowire field effect transistors: Effect of gamma radiation treatment

We report on the transport properties of Si nanowire (NWs) field effect transistor (FET) structures studied before and after gamma radiation treatment. Measured I-V characteristics and noise spectra of Si NW FETs of different lengths demonstrate improved stability and scaling after irradiation treatment. The results are interpreted with respect to strain relaxation in contact regions as well as changes in the charge states of dielectric traps after the influence of low doses of gamma irradiation. This approach is promising for nanoelectronic applications, including biosensors.