Conductance quantization in Schottky-gated Si/SiGe quantum point contacts

We report on the fabrication and electronic transport characterisation of Schottky-gated strongly confined Si/SiGe quantum point contacts (QPC). At zero magnetic field and T=450mK the QPC conductance as a function of gate voltage shows a quantization in units of e/h, indicative of transport through 1D modes which appear to lack both spin and valley degeneracy. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.