Advancing Silicon Atomic-Scale Applications

Dangling bonds (DBs) on the surface of hydrogen-terminated silicon present an attractive basis for next generation atomic scale devices as they possess both ideal electronic properties and high thermal stability. One of the ultimate applications of DBs is the creation of atomic scale logic circuitry, where designs may reduce power consumption by several orders of magnitude. We use a Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) to fabricate proto-devices and other DB-based structures. Recent developments in the precise fabrication of DBs have enabled significant progress towards this goal. With these developments, new applications of DBs are also emerging. In one such application we demonstrate the use of DBs to store information at the atomic scale, including the ability to read out the information. Further, we demonstrate the potential to advance site selective chemistry on the surface through the reliable creation of reactive sites.