現在積體電路裡的元件尺寸從微米一直縮減到次微米，量子效應就愈顯得重要。而這當元件的尺寸持續縮簡到奈米尺寸時，量子效應就非常值得我們來探討。例如利用量子效應，可以實現負微分電阻元件；它可以將現今的電路再往更快、更緊密、更小尺寸的方向發展。
一個著名的負微分電阻元件是共振穿隧二極體。共振穿隧二極體仍然是一個很新的元件。它是在1970年由Eski和Tsu這二位提出，一個可以讓電子從幾層很薄的單晶薄膜週期性的交替層疊(superlatices)的量子化機制現象而開始發展。而最近，有愈來愈多的研究團隊，利用相似於共振穿隧二極體的機制，將負微分電阻元件由一層內有矽量子點的介電薄膜製作而成。
在這篇論文裡，我們成功的製作出由一層內有矽量子點的氮化矽薄膜的負微分電阻元件。而且，它的PVCR(峰值對谷值的電流比例)*Jp(電流密度)大約是20。最後並討論如何用電漿增強式化學氣沈積的製程參數去控制矽量子點大小的趨勢，和探討我們的負微分電阻元件在電性上，三種現象的機制：
1．峰值電壓會隨著氣體流量比([SiH4]/[N2])減少而增加；
2．加順向電壓的平均峰值電壓大於加逆向電壓的平均值；
3．加順向電壓的峰值電壓跳動範圍大於加逆向電壓的跳動範圍。(加逆向電壓的穩定度比加順向電壓的好。)

As device dimensions in integrated circuits (IC’s) shrink from the micrometer to sub-micrometer levels and below, quantum effects become more prominent. When these device dimensions go down to a few nanometers, quantum effects such as negative differential resistance device (NDRD) lead to interesting new device characteristics, which can be exploited to create extremely fast and compact circuits.
The famous of NDRD is resonant tunneling diode (RTD). The RTD is a relatively young device. In 1970, Esaki and Tsu proposed that quantum mechanical phenomena should be observable in one-dimensional structures consisting of alternating single-crystalline layers with a period shorter (superlattices) than the electron mean free path. Recently, more and more research groups are working on the negative differential resistance devices (NDRDs) consisting of silicon dots embedded dielectric film matrix. And the mechanism of the negative differential resistance device is simulating to RTDs.
In this thesis, we successfully implement RTD by silicon dots embedded silicon-rich silicon nitride matrix with PECVD. The performance (PVCR*Jp) of RTD is about 20. Discussing the silicon dot size depend on process parameters, and the mechanism of three phenomena of the electrical characterization of NDRDs:
(1) Peak voltage will be decreased with increase in gas flow rate ratio ([SiH4]/[N2]).
(2) The mean peak voltage of positive voltage shift was bigger than negative one.
(3) Peak voltage range for positive peak voltage shift was bigger than for the negative one. (Negative one was more stable than positive one.)

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