Infrared detection with silicon nano-field-effect transistors

The authors fabricated nanoscale silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) to detect an infrared (IR) signal at room temperature. The IR signal excites conduction-band electrons in an undoped channel of a MOSFET and some of them are injected through an energy barrier into a storage node (SN) electrically formed by the MOSFET. Small signals, originating from electrons, stored in the SN are detected by an electrometer with a single-electron resolution. Additionally, the MOSFET controls the number and energy of electrons injected into the SN. This enables electrical control of the sensitivity and cutoff wavelengths of IR signals, suggesting the possibility of highly functional IR sensors. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.