Nanoscale MOSFET as a Potential Room-Temperature Quantum Current Source

Nanoscale metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs) with only one defect at the interface can potentially become a single electron turnstile linking frequency and electronic charge to realize the elusive quantized current source. Charge pumping is often described as a process that ‘pumps’ one charge per driving period per defect. The precision needed to utilize this charge pumping mechanism as a quantized current source requires a rigorous demonstration of the basic charge pumping mechanism. Here we present experimental results on a single-defect MOSFET that shows that the one charge pumped per cycle mechanism is valid. This validity is also discussed through a variety of physical arguments that enrich the current understanding of charge pumping. The known sources of errors as well as potential sources of error are also discussed. The precision of such a process is sufficient to encourage further exploration of charge pumping based on quantum current sources.