Sandwich-type gated mechanical break junctions

We introduce a new device architecture for the independent mechanical and electrostatic tuning of nanoscale charge transport. In contrast to previous gated mechanical break junctions with suspended source-drain electrodes, the devices presented here prevent an electromechanical tuning of the electrode gap by the gate. This significant improvement originates from a direct deposition of the source and the drain electrodes on the gate dielectric. The plasma-enhanced native oxide on the aluminum gate electrode enables measurements at gate voltages up to 1.8 V at cryogenic temperatures. Throughout the bending-controlled tuning of the source-drain distance, the electrical continuity of the gate electrode is maintained. A nanoscale island in the Coulomb blockade regime serves as a first experimental test system for the devices, in which the mechanical and electrical control of charge transport is demonstrated.