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An electrostatic force microscope was used to write and image localized dots of charge in a double barrier CeO2/Si/CeO2/Si(111) structure. By applying a relatively large tip voltage and reducing the tip to sample separation to 3–5 nm, charge dots 60–200 nm full width at half maximum of both positive and negative charge have been written. The total stored charge is found to be Q = ±(20–200)e per charge dot. These dots of charge are shown to be stable over periods of time greater than 24 h, with an initial charge decay time constant of tau ~ 9.5 h followed by a period of much slower decay with tau > 24 h. The dependence of dot size and total stored charge on various writing parameters such as tip writing bias, tip to sample separation, and write time is examined.

Using electron beam evaporation, a Si/CeO2/Si(111) structure has been grown in a molecular beam epitaxy machine. In situ low energy electron diffraction, cross sectional transmission electron microscopy, selected area diffraction, and atomic force microscopy have been used to structurally characterize the overlying silicon layer and show it to be single crystalline and epitaxially oriented. Rutherford backscattering and energy dispersive x-ray analysis have been used to confirm the presence of a continuous 23 Å CeO2 layer at the interface. Rutherford backscattering and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy show an additional presence of cerium both at the exposed silicon surface and incorporated in low levels (~ 1%) within the silicon film, suggesting a growth mechanism with cerium riding atop the silicon growth front leaving behind small amounts of cerium incorporated in the growing silicon crystal.

The electrical characteristics of various size tunnel switch diode devices, composed of Al/SiO2/n-Si/p+-Si layers, which operate with a range of parameters (such as current densities in excess of 104 A/cm2) that stress the oxide layer far beyond the levels used in typical thin oxide metal-oxide semiconductor research have been examined. It is found that the first time a large current and electric field are applied to the device, a "forming" process enhances transport through the oxide in the vicinity of the edges of the gate electrode, but the oxide still retains its integrity as a tunnel barrier. The device operation is relatively stable to stresses of greater than 107 C/cm2 areally averaged, time-integrated charge injection. Duplication and characterization of these modified oxide tunneling properties was attempted using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to stress and probe the oxide. Electrical stressing with the STM tip creates regions of reduced conductivity, possibly resulting from trapped charge in the oxide. Lateral variations in the conductivity of the unstressed oxide over regions roughly 20–50 nm across were also found.