Electronic logic element

Claim 2

An electronic logic element comprising: a body of single-conductivity-type semiconductor material capable of exhibiting the Gunn effect, a primary electrode carried on a first surface of the body, a plurality of secondary electrodes carried on a second surface of the body, the area of each secondary electrode being less than one-tenth of the primary electrode, means for applying input signal voltages between the primary electrode and one or more secondary electrodes, and output means for detecting a Gunn effect field domain in the body of material and deriving an output signal therefrom, the arrangement being such that the application between the primary electrode and a predetermined number of the secondary electrodes of a voltage just sufficient to create Gunn effect field domain in the body produces an output signal at the output means, but the application of the same voltage between the primary electrode and a number of the secondary electrodes greater than the predetermined number does not produce an output signal at the output means.

Claim 3

A logic element according to claim 1 in which the output means comprises a resonant cavity coupled to the body of material and adapted to detect the movement of a domain in the body of material.

Claim 4

A logic element according to claim 1 in which the output means comprises a resistive element connected in a circuit with one of the electrodes carried by the body.

Claim 5

A logic element according to claim 1 in which the output means includes one or more further contact means or electrodes carried on the body and adapted to detect changes in current flow through the body.

Claim 6

A logic element according to claim 1 in which the material of the said body consists of gallium arsenide, cadmium telleride, indium phosphide, gallium phosphide or alloys of these compounds.

Claim 7

A logic element according to claim 1 in which the body of material is substantially rectangular with the large contact means or electrode bonded to the whole of one major surface of the body to provide a substrate.

Claim 8

An electronic logic element adapted to operate as a comparator, the device comprising: a body of material capable of exhibiting the Gunn effect, a primary electrode carried on one surface of said body, two secondary electrodes carried on the other surface of the body substantially opposite said first mentioned surface, the area of each secondary electrode being less than one-tenth of the area of the primary electrode, a first pulse source connected to apply first input pulses between the primary electrode and a first of the secondary electrodes, a second pulse source connected to apply second input pulses of the same voltage as the first input pulses between the primary electrode and the second secondary electrode, and output means for detecting a Gunn effect field domain in the body of material and deriving an output signal therefrom, the arrangement of the device and the voltage of the input pulses being such that application of either a first or second input pulse alone creates a Gunn effect field domain in the body to produce an output signal at the output means, but the application of a first and a second input pulse concurrently does not produce an output signal at the output means.

Claim 9

An electronic logic element adapted to operate as a comparator, the device comprising: a body of material capable of exhibiting the Gunn effect, a primary electrode carried on one surface of said body, two secondary electrodes carried on the other surface of the body substantially opposite said first mentioned surface, the area of each secondary electrode being less than one-tenth of the area of the primary electrode, a first pulse source connected to apply first input pulses between the primary electrode and a first of the secondary electrodes, a second pulse source connected to apply second input pulses of the same voltage as the first input pulses between the primary electrode and the second secondary electrode, and output means for detecting a Gunn effect field domain in the body of material and deriving an output signal therefrom, the arrangement of the device and the voltage of the input pulses being such that application of either a first or second input pulse alone creates a Gunn effect field domain in the body to produce an output signal at the output means, but the application of a first and a second input pulse concurrently does not produce an output signal at the output means.

Claim 10

An electronic logic element adapted to operate as a comparator, the device comprising: a body of single conductivity type semiconductor material capable of exhibiting the Gunn effect, a primary electrode carried on a first surface of the body, two secondary electrodes carried on a second surface of the body, individual input connections to each of the electrodes, and output means for detecting a Gunn effect field domain in the body of the material and deriving an output signal therefrom, the area of each secondary electrode being less than one-tenth of the area of the primary electrode, and the relative sizes and spacing of the electrodes being such that application between the primary electrode and a first secondary electrode of a voltage above a threshold voltage produces near the secondary electrode a potential gradient higher than that in the remainder of the body and just sufficient to create a Gunn effect field domain, the high field being due to the field configuration between the relatively large electrode and the relatively small electrode, but the arrangement being such that the application of the same voltage between the primary electrode and both secondary electrodes produces a different field configuration which does not include a high field region sufficient to create a Gunn effect field domain.

Claim 11

An electronic logic element adapted to operate as a comparator, the device comprising: a body of single conductivity type semiconductor material capable of exhibiting the Gunn effect, a primary electrode carried on a first surface of the body, two secondary electrodes carried on a second surface of the body, individual input connections to each of the electrodes, and output means for detecting a Gunn effect field domain in the body of the material and deriving an output signal therefrom, the area of each secondary electrode being less than one-tenth of the area of the primary electrode, and the relative sizes and spacing of the electrodes being such that application between the primary electrode and a first secondary electrode of a voltage above a threshold voltage produces near the secondary electrode a potential gradient higher than that in the remainder of the body and just sufficient to create a Gunn effect field domain, the high field being due to the field configuration between the relatively large electrode and the relatively small electrode, but the arrangement being such that the application of the same voltage between the primary electrode and both secondary electrodes produces a different field configuration which does not include a high field region sufficient to create a Gunn effect field domain.

Claim 12

An electronic logic element adapted to operate as a comparator, the device comprising: a body of single-conductivity-type semiconductor material capable of exhibiting the Gunn effect, a primary electrode carried on a first surface of the body, two secondary electrodes carried on a second surface of the body, individual input connections to each of the electrodes, and output means for detecting a Gunn effect field domain in the body of the material and deriving an output signal therefrom, the separation distance between the secondary electrodes being less than one-fiftieth of the cross sectional width of either secondary electrode taken in a direction at right angles to the spacing between secondary electrodes, and being less than one-fiftieth of the spacing between the secondary electrodes and the primary electrode, and the relative size and spacing of the electrodes being such that the application between the primary and the first of the secondary electrodes of a voltage above the threshold voltage produces near the small electrode a potential gradient higher than that in the remainder of the body and sufficient to create a Gunn effect field domain, the high field being due to the partial convergence of the field from the first secondary electrode towards the conducting boundary presented by the second nonenergized secondary electrode resulting in a high field region between the two secondary electrodes, but the arrangement being such that the application of the same voltage between the primary electrode and both secondary electrodes produces a different field configuration which does not include a high field region sufficient to create a Gunn effect field domain.

Claim 13

An electronic logic element adapted to operate as a comparator, the device comprising: a body of single-conductivity-type semiconductor material capable of exhibiting the Gunn effect, a primary electrode carried on a first surface of the body, two secondary electrodes carried on a second surface of the body, individual input connections to each of the electrodes, and output means for detecting a Gunn effect field domain in the body of the material and deriving an output signal therefrom, the separation distance between the secondary electrodes being less than one-fiftieth of the cross sectional width of either secondary electrode taken in a direction at right angles to the spacing between secondary electrodes, and being less than one-fiftieth of the spacing between the secondary electrodes and the primary electrode, and the relative size and spacing of the electrodes being such that the application between the primary and the first of the secondary electrodes of a voltage above the threshold voltage produces near the small electrode a potential gradient higher than that in the remainder of the body and sufficient to create a Gunn effect field domain, the high field being due to the partial convergence of the field from the first secondary electrode towards the conducting boundary presented by the second nonenergized secondary electrode resulting in a high field region between the two secondary electrodes, but the arrangement being such that the application of the same voltage between the primary electrode and both secondary electrodes produces a different field configuration which does not include a high field region sufficient to create a Gunn effect field domain.

Claim 14

An electronic logic element comprising: a body of material capable of exhibiting a travelling field domain phenomenon when a field is produced in the body above a first threshold value to nucleate a domain and when maintained above a second threshold value, to sustAin the domain, a primary electrode carried on a first surface of the body, a plurality of secondary electrodes carried on a second surface of the body, the area of each secondary electrodes being less than one-tenth of the area of the primary electrode means for applying input signal voltages between the primary electrode and one or more of the secondary electrodes, and output means for detecting a field domain in the body of the material and deriving an output signal therefrom, the arrangement being such that the application between the primary electrode and a predetermined number of the secondary electrodes of a voltage just sufficient to create a field domain in the body produces an output signal at the output means, but the application of the same voltage between the primary electrode and a number of the secondary electrodes greater than the predetermined number does not produce an output signal at the output means.

Claim 15

An electronic logic element comprising: a body of material capable of exhibiting a travelling field domain phenomenon when a field is produced in the body above a first threshold value to nucleate a domain and when maintained above a second threshold value, to sustAin the domain, a primary electrode carried on a first surface of the body, a plurality of secondary electrodes carried on a second surface of the body, the area of each secondary electrodes being less than one-tenth of the area of the primary electrode means for applying input signal voltages between the primary electrode and one or more of the secondary electrodes, and output means for detecting a field domain in the body of the material and deriving an output signal therefrom, the arrangement being such that the application between the primary electrode and a predetermined number of the secondary electrodes of a voltage just sufficient to create a field domain in the body produces an output signal at the output means, but the application of the same voltage between the primary electrode and a number of the secondary electrodes greater than the predetermined number does not produce an output signal at the output means.

Claim 16

An electronic logic element as in claim 10 wherein the separation distance between said secondary electrodes is less than one-fiftieth of the cross-sectional width of either secondary electrode taken in a direction at right angles to the spacing between the secondary electrodes and is less than one-fiftieth of the spacing between said secondary electrodes and said primary electrode.

Claim 17

An electronic logic element comprising: a body of single-conductivity-type semiconductor material capable of exhibiting the Gunn effect, a primary electrode carried on a first surface of the body, a plurality of secondary electrodes carried on a secondary surface of the body, a separation distance between the secondary electrodes being less than one-fiftieth of the cross-sectional width of either secondary electrode taken in a direction at right angles to the spacing between the secondary electrodes, and being less than one-fiftieth of the spacing between the secondary electrodes and the primary electrode, means for applying input signal voltages between the primary electrode and one or more of the secondary electrodes, and output means for detecting a Gunn effect field domain in the body of the material and deriving an output signal thereof, the arrangement being such that the application between the primary electrode and a predetermined number of the secondary electrodes of a voltage just sufficient to create a Gunn effect field domain in the body produces an output signal at the output means, but the application of the same voltage between the primary electrode and a number of the secondary electrodes greater than the predetermined number does not produce an output signal at the output means.

Claim 18

An electronic logic element comprising: a body of single-conductivity-type semiconductor material capable of exhibiting the Gunn effect, a primary electrode carried on a first surface of the body, a plurality of secondary electrodes carried on a secondary surface of the body, a separation distance between the secondary electrodes being less than one-fiftieth of the cross-sectional width of either secondary electrode taken in a direction at right angles to the spacing between the secondary electrodes, and being less than one-fiftieth of the spacing between the secondary electrodes and the primary electrode, means for applying input signal voltages between the primary electrode and one or more of the secondary electrodes, and output means for detecting a Gunn effect field domain in the body of the material and deriving an output signal thereof, the arrangement being such that the application between the primary electrode and a predetermined number of the secondary electrodes of a voltage just sufficient to create a Gunn effect field domain in the body produces an output signal at the output means, but the application of the same voltage between the primary electrode and a number of the secondary electrodes greater than the predetermined number does not produce an output signal at the output means.

Claim 19

A logic element as in claim 12 wherein the output means comprises a resonant cavity coupled to the body of the material and adapted to detect the movement of a domain in the body of the material.

Claim 20

A logic element as in claim 12 wherein the output means comprises a resistive element connected in a circuit with one of the electrodes carried by the body.

Claim 21

A logic element as in claim 12 wherein said output means includes one or more further contact means or electrodes carried on said body and adapted to detect changes in current flow through said body.

Claim 22

A logic element as in claim 12 wherein said material of said body consists of gallium arsenide, cadmium telleride, indium phosphide, gallium phosphide, or alloys of these compounds.

Claim 23

A logic element as in claim 12 wherein said body of material is substantially rectangular with the large contact means or electrode bonded to the whole of one major surface of the body to provide a substrate.

Claim 24

An electronic element adapted for operation as a comparator, wherein said element comprises: a body of material capable of exhibiting the Gunn effect, a primary electrode carried on one surface of the body, two secondary electrodes carried on another major surface of the body substantially opposite the first surface, the separation distance between the secondary electrodes being less than one-fiftieth of the cross-sectional width of either secondary electrode taken in a direction at right angles to the spacing between the secondary electrodes and being less than one-fiftieth of the spacing between the secondary electrodes and the primary electrode, a first pulse source connected to apply first input pulses between the primary electrode and a first of the secondary electrodes, a second pulse source connected to apply second input pulses of the same voltage as the first input pulses between the primary electrode and second secondary electrode, and output means for detecting a Gunn effect field domain in the body of the material and deriving an output signal therefrom, the arrangement of the device and the voltage of the input pulses being such that application of either a first or second input pulse alone creates a Gunn effect field domain in the body for producing an output signal at the output means, but the application of a first and a second input pulse concurrently does not produce an output signal at the output means.

Claim 25

An electronic element adapted for operation as a comparator, wherein said element comprises: a body of material capable of exhibiting the Gunn effect, a primary electrode carried on one surface of the body, two secondary electrodes carried on another major surface of the body substantially opposite the first surface, the separation distance between the secondary electrodes being less than one-fiftieth of the cross-sectional width of either secondary electrode taken in a direction at right angles to the spacing between the secondary electrodes and being less than one-fiftieth of the spacing between the secondary electrodes and the primary electrode, a first pulse source connected to apply first input pulses between the primary electrode and a first of the secondary electrodes, a second pulse source connected to apply second input pulses of the same voltage as the first input pulses between the primary electrode and second secondary electrode, and output means for detecting a Gunn effect field domain in the body of the material and deriving an output signal therefrom, the arrangement of the device and the voltage of the input pulses being such that application of either a first or second input pulse alone creates a Gunn effect field domain in the body for producing an output signal at the output means, but the application of a first and a second input pulse concurrently does not produce an output signal at the output means.