US3585611A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Ferroelectric semiconductor memory element
Assignee: Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd AECL
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Filing: 1969-12-02
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Granted: 1971-06-15
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Expires: 1989-12-02
Abstract
Abstract A memory element comprising a switchable ferroelectric material which is also a small band gap semiconductor, having sampling bits associated therewith. The surfaces of this material are suitably doped by selective diffusion to produce P-N semiconductor gates on the surfaces. When a question pulse is applied to the semiconducting gates, a current will flow in response to said pulse only when the threshold voltage or coercive field of the ferroelectric is exceeded to thus permit the bit being sampled to reveal the state of polarization of said ferroelectric.
Inventors
- 👤 Issai Lefkowitz
- 👤 Godfrey S Pawley
- 👤 William W Cochran
- 👤 Roger A Cowley
- 👤 Gerald Dolling
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 13:58
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C11/00; G11C11/21; G11C11/22; H; H10; H10B; H10B53/00; H10P; H10P95/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 1 further characterized by said semiconductor diodes having electrical conductors attached thereto for applying a voltage thereacross.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
57 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said ferroelectric material comprises at least two elements, each of said elements having an atomic weight greater than 16, at least one of said elements being selected from the 4a group of the periodic table and the remainder of said elements being selected from the 6a group of the periodic table.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 3 further characterized by said ferroelectric material consisting of a solid solution of germanium telluride and tin telluride, said germanium telluride comprising about 30 atomic percent of said solid solution.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said ferroelectric material comprises barium titanate which has been modified by holding at a high temperature in a potassium rich atmosphere in order to impart small band gap semiconducting characteristics thereto.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 4 further characterized by said ferroelectric material having means connected thereto for communication with a computer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 5 further characterized by said ferroelectric material having means connected thereto for communication with a computer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
76 words
The device as described in claim 6 wherein said means comprises an equal number of spaced parallel electrical conductors disposed in each face of said ferroelectric contacting said semiconductor diodes, said spaced parallel electrical conductors on one of said faces being disposed at right angles to said spaced parallel electrical conductors on the other or said faces, and each of said spaced parallel electrical conductors being mounted on individual electrical conducting strips adhering to said ferroelectric.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
76 words
The device as described in claim 7 wherein said means comprises an equal number of spaced parallel electrical conductors disposed in each face of said ferroelectric contacting said semiconductor diodes, said spaced parallel electrical conductors on one of said faces being disposed at right angles to said spaced parallel electrical conductors on the other of said faces, and each of said spaced parallel electrical conductors being mounted on individual electrical conducting strips adhering to said ferroelectric.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
90 words
In a computer memory element storage device having a polarizable ferroelectric body with opposite one-way potential gates on both surfaces of said body, and conductor means connected to said gates for applying a voltage thereacross ad communication means connected to said gates for communication with a computer, wherein the improvement comprises the use of a single material as said ferroelectric body which exhibits both ferroelectric and small band gap semiconducting properties and which has surfaces which have been suitably doped to produce semiconductor diodes acting as said one-way potential gates.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-06-14 | 1974-12-14 | 1975-06-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-06-14 | 1978-12-14 | 1979-06-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-06-14 | 1982-12-14 | 1983-06-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |