NIST researchers are developing advanced measurement techniques to characterize nanoscale devices operating at extreme temperatures and frequencies. The project aims to fill a knowledge gap in understanding how these devices behave under harsh conditions, from cryogenic temperatures to over 500°C, and at frequencies up to the GHz range.
The team is creating a measurement infrastructure that can characterize device responses in 10s of picoseconds at these extreme conditions. This involves custom ultra-fast electrical probes, fast amplifier circuits, and modified commercial communications equipment for electrical excitation.
The approach has already proven useful in characterizing novel non-volatile memories and uncovering previously ignored device physics. The infrastructure is being adapted for cryogenic measurements as well, with applications in high-frequency silicon circuits for quantum information science and related research.
Keywords: Impedance, Transient, Cryogenic, Nanoscale, Ultrafast
