Abstract A current controlling device for an electrical circuit including a semiconductor material and electrodes in low electrical resistance contact therewith, wherein said semiconductor material has a high electrical resistance to provide a blocking condition for substantially blocking current therethrough, wherein the high electrical resistance is substantially instantaneously decreased to a low electrical resistance in response to a voltage above a threshold voltage value, wherein the semiconductor material in the low electrical resistance conducting condition has a voltage drop which is a fraction of the voltage drop in the high electrical resistance blocking condition near the threshold voltage value, and wherein the semiconductor material is a multielement nonchalcogenide material including as essential ingredients arsenic or phosphorous and silicon, germanium, gallium, boron or aluminum. The material may also include minor additions, such as, cadmium or zinc. Particularly good results have been obtained with a binary system of arsenic and silicon.
The current controlling device as defined in claim 1 wherein the atomic percent of said one essential element is within the range of substantially 66 2/3 percent and substantially 50 percent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
16 words
The current controlling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said one essential element is arsenic.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
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The current controlling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said other essential element is silicon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
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The current controlling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said other essential element is germanium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The current controlling device as defined in claim 3 wherein said other essential element is silicoN.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The current controlling device as defined in claim 3 wherein said other essential element is germanium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The current controlling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said one essential element is phosphorous and said other essential element is silicon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The current controlling device as defined in claim 2 wherein said one essential element is arsenic.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The current controlling device as defined in claim 2 wherein said other essential element is silicon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The current controlling device as defined in claim 2 wherein said other essential element is germanium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The current controlling device as defined in claim 9 wherein said other essential element is silicon. The current controlling device as defined in claim 9 wherein said other essential element is germanium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The current controlling device as defined in claim 2 herein said one essential element is phosphorous and said other essential element is silicon.