Solid state neuron

Claim 1

A semiconductor neuron comprising a body of single crystal semiconductor material having two opposed major surfaces, at least one of the major surfaces having a preferred crystal planar orientation, a predetermined level of resistivity and a first type conductivity; at least one first region of degenerative semiconductor material disposed in the body, extending entirely through the body and terminating in the opposed major surface of the body and having two opposed end surfaces, each end surface being coextensive with a respective one of the two major surfaces of the body; each first region having a predetermined level of concentration of dopant impurity material and a second type conductivity; at least one second region of degenerative semiconductor material coaxially disposed in each first region, extending entirely through the body and terminating in the opposed end surfaces of the first region and having two opposed end surfaces, each end surface of the second region being coextensive with a respective end surface of the first region; each second region having a predetermined level of concentration of dopant impurity material and a third type conductivity which is opposite to that type conductivity of the first region; a P-N junction formed by the abutting surfaces of each pair of first and second regions of opposite type conductivity, the P-N junction extending between and terminating in the opposed major surfaces of the body; the predetermined level of concentration of impurity material in each pair of abutting first and second regions of degenerative semiconductor material being of a sufficient value to impart to the P-N junction formed therebetween electrical characteristics of a tunnel diode; a first ohmic electrical contact affixed to one of the two opposed end surfaces of a first region; a second ohmic electric contact affixed to one of the two opposed end surfaces of an abutting second region which is coextensive with the one end surface of the first region; a third ohmic electrical contact affixed to the other of the two opposed end surfaces of the first region; a fourth ohmic electrical contact affixed to the other of the two opposed end surfaces of the second region, and the semiconductor neuron functions in a manner similar to a biological neuron when a voltage pulse is applied across the P-N junction between the first and second electrical contacts and after a predetermined time delay the applied voltage pulse appears across the P-N junction between the third and the fourth electrical contacts.