US3569801A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thin film triodes and method of forming
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1969-06-02
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Granted: 1971-03-09
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Expires: 1989-06-02
Abstract
Abstract A thin film structure is described having two metal electrodes separated by a 50 to 500A. thick insulating layer of a material, e.g. aluminum oxide, having a sufficiently large band gap to negate current flow therethrough. At least a portion of one edge of the structure is separated from a control electrode by a semiconductive layer, e.g. vacuum deposited CdS, and tunneling current flow between the metal electrodes through the semiconductive layer is regulated by application of a suitable biasing voltage to the control electrode. In an alternate structure, the control electrode is positioned between and insulated from, the metal electrodes by thin films of a large band gap insulating material. A semiconductive layer overlies one edge of the laminar structure and tunneling current between the exterior electrodes through the semiconductive layer is controlled by a potential applied to the control electrode.
Inventors
- 👤 Ivar Giaever
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 01:36
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D99/00; H10P; H10P95/00; H10P95/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
69 words
A thin film device according to claim 1 wherein said first and second electrodes and said insulating film form a laminar structure, at least one edge of said structure being exposed along a plane angularly disposed relative to the planes of said electrodes to bare the component layers of said laminar structure, and said insulating layer is deposited atop said exposed edge to interconnect said first and second electrodes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
16 words
A thin film device according to claim 2 wherein said insulating layer has an amorphous structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
A thin film device according to claim 2 wherein said insulating film is between 50 and 500A. in thickness, and said control electrode is a material having a large work function relative to said insulating layer to substantially negate current flow therebetween, said control electrode being disposed along the face of said insulating layer remote from said exposed edge of said laminar structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
A thin film device according to claim 4 wherein said first and second electrodes are low work function metals selected from the group consisting of indium, tin, and aluminum, said insulating film is an oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum and silicon, said insulating layer is a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of cadmium sulfide, lead sulfide, germanium and silicon and said control electrode is a metal selected from the group consisting of gold and platinum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
A thin film device according to claim 2 wherein said control electrode is disposed intermediate said laminar structure at a location insulated from said first and second electrodes by said insulating film, said control electrode having a work function with said insulating layer substantially in excess of the work function between said insulating layer and said first and second electrodes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
A thin film device according to claim 6 wherein said electrodes are metals selected from the group consisting of indium, tin and aluminum, said insulating film is an oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum and silicon, said insulating layer is a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of cadmium sulfide, lead sulfide, germanium, and silicon and said control electrode is a metal selected from the group consisting of gold and platinum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
92 words
A thin film device comprising first and second metallic electrodes spaced apart by a 50 to 500A. thick insulating film, said insulating film having a band gap sufficiently large to substantially inhibit charge flow between said electrodes, a polycrystalline semiconductive material bypassing said insulating film and interconnecting said electrodes, means for applying an electrical potential across said electrodes to produce a quantum-mechanical tunneling current flow between said electrodes through said polycrystalline semiconductive material, and means for applying a control signal to said polycrystalline material to regulate the flow of tunneling current therethrough.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A thin film device according to claim 8 wherein the work function between said electrodes and said polycrystalline material is at least 1.5 ev. smaller than the work function between said electrodes and said insulating film.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A thin film device according to claim 8 wherein said insulating film is aluminum oxide in a thickness between 50 and 300A. and said polycrystalline material is a sulfide of a metal selected from the group consisting of cadmium and lead.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of forming A thin film device comprising vacuum depositing a metallic electrode upon a dielectric substrate, forming a 50-500A. thick insulating film atop said metallic electrode, vacuum depositing a metallic counter electrode atop said insulating film to form a metal-insulator-metal laminar structure, exposing at least one edge of said laminar structure along a plane angularly disposed relative to the planes of said electrodes, vacuum depositing a layer of semiconductive material atop said exposed edge, said semiconductive material having a small work function relative to the electrodes of said laminar structure to permit quantum-mechanical tunneling of charge carriers between said electrodes through said semiconductive material and depositing a metal electrode atop said semiconductive layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method of forming a thin film device according to claim 11 wherein the d edge of said laminar structure is exposed by positioning a second substrate atop a portion of said dielectric substrate prior to deposition of said laminar structure and removing said second substrate after deposition of said laminar structure to expose the edge of said structure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method of forming a thin film device according to claim 12 wherein said semiconductive layer is vacuum deposited from a source disposed at a location aside the exposed edge of said laminar structure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of forming a thin film device according to claim 11 wherein said edge is exposed by dissecting said laminar structure along a plane normal to the plane of said electrodes forming the laminar structure.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-08 | 1974-09-07 | 1975-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-08 | 1978-09-07 | 1979-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-08 | 1982-09-07 | 1983-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |