EP0750353A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Single electron tunnel device and method for fabricating the same
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1996-06-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-06-21
Abstract
Abstract The single electron tunnel device of this invention includes: a multiple tunnel junction layer including multiple tunnel junctions; and first and second electrodes for applying a voltage to the multiple tunnel junction layer, wherein the multiple tunnel junction layer includes an electrically insulating thin film and metal particles and/or semiconductor particles dispersed in the electrically insulating thin film.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Kado
- 👤 Yoshio Manabe
- 👤 Takao Tohda
- 👤 Ichiro Tanahashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 15:34
CPC Classifications
B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/014; H10D30/40; H10D30/402; H10D8/00; H10D8/70; H10D99/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
55 words
A single electron tunnel device comprising: a multiple tunnel junction layer including multiple tunnel junctions; and first and second electrodes for applying a voltage to the multiple tunnel junction layer, wherein the multiple tunnel junction layer includes an electrically insulating thin film and metal particles and/or semiconductor particles dispersed in the electrically insulating thin film.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
44 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 1, further comprising: an electrically insulating layer formed in contact with the multiple tunnel junction layer; and a third electrode for applying an electric field to the multiple tunnel junction layer via the electrically insulating layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the particles is 50 nm or less.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 1, wherein the average distance between the particles is 5 nm or less.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 1, wherein the particles are dispersed in layers in the multiple tunnel junction layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 1, wherein the electrically insulating thin film is made of an oxide, and the particles are made of at least one type of metal selected from the group consisting of gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), platinum (Pt), and palladium (Pd).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 1, wherein the electrically insulating thin film includes as a major component at least one type of material selected from the group consisting of oxides of silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), and hafnium (Hf), and nitrides of silicon (Si) and aluminum (Al).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A single electron tunnel device comprising: a resistance layer; first and second electrodes for applying a voltage to the resistance layer; and a third electrode for adjusting an electric field formed by the first and second electrodes, wherein the resistance layer includes an electrically insulating substance with low-potential islands formed therein.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 8, wherein the first electrode is formed on a first major plane of the resistance layer, and the second electrode is formed on a second major plane of the resistance layer which is different from the first major plane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 8, wherein the first and second electrodes are formed on a same plane of the resistance layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 8, wherein the distance between portions of the first and second electrodes which are closest to each other is 1 µm or less, and the width of at least one of the first and second electrodes is 100 nm or less.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes has a tapered end, and the tapered end faces the other electrode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 9, wherein a tip portion of the first electrode overlaps a tip portion of the second electrode, and the area of the overlapping portion is 1 µm 2 or less.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 8, wherein the resistance layer includes an electrically insulating thin film and metal particles and/or semiconductor particles dispersed in the electrically insulating thin film.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 8, wherein metal particles and/or semiconductor particles are dispersed three-dimensionally in the resistance layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 14, wherein the diameter of the particles is 50 nm or less.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 14, wherein the average distance between the particles is 5 nm or less.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 14, wherein the particles are dispersed in layers in the electrically insulating substance.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 14, wherein the electrically insulating substance is made of an oxide or a nitride.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 14, wherein the electrically insulating thin film is made of an oxide, and the particles are made of at least one type of metal selected from the group consisting of gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), platinum (Pt), and palladium (Pd).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
51 words
A single electron tunnel device according to claim 14, wherein the electrically insulating thin film includes as a major component at least one type of material selected from the group consisting of oxides of silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), and hafnium (Hf), and nitrides of silicon (Si) and aluminum (Al).
Claim 22
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for fabricating a single electron tunnel device comprising: a multiple tunnel junction layer including multiple tunnel junctions; and first and second electrodes for applying a voltage to the multiple tunnel junction layer, wherein the multiple tunnel junction layer includes an electrically insulating thin film and metal particles and/or semiconductor particles dispersed in the electrically insulating thin film, the method comprising the step of: forming the multiple tunnel junction layer by repeating the sub-steps of depositing an electrically insulating substance and forming metal and/or semiconductor particles alternately.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein the multiple tunnel junction layer is formed by alternate sputtering.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of heat-treating the multiple tunnel junction layer so as to change the size or density of the particles.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for fabricating a single electron tunnel device comprising: a multiple tunnel junction layer including multiple tunnel junctions; and first and second electrodes for applying a voltage to the multiple tunnel junction layer, wherein the multiple tunnel junction layer includes an electrically insulating thin film and metal particles and/or semiconductor particles dispersed in the electrically insulating thin film, the method comprising the step of: forming the multiple tunnel junction layer by depositing an electrically insulating substance and metal and/or semiconductor particles simultaneously.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 25, wherein the multiple tunnel junction layer is formed by simultaneous sputtering.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of heat-treating the multiple tunnel junction layer so as to change the size or density of the particles.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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