Transfer and detection of the elementary charge are demonstrated in an ultrasmall Si charge-coupled device (CCD) at 25K. The device is a closely packed array of two Si-wire MOSFETs. The Si wire is T-shaped so that the electron current through each MOSFET can be measured separately. A single hole is stored and transferred between the two MOSFETs. For the charge detection, a new scheme based on the electron-hole system in the Si nano-wire is used; the stored hole and sensing electrons are kept apart by the large electric field across the Si wire and therefore do not recombine soon.
ref. Nature 410, 560 (2001).

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