Patent US4507672A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4507672A
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Method of fabricating a current controlled bistable electrical organic thin film switching device
Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
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Filing: 1982-04-05
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Granted: 1985-03-26
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Expires: 2002-04-05
Abstract
Abstract A current-controlled, bistable threshold or memory switch comprises a polycrystalline metal-organic semiconductor sandwiched between metallic electrodes. Films of either copper or silver complexed with TNAP, DDQ, TCNE, TCNQ, derivative TCNQ molecules, or other such electron acceptors provides switching between high and low impedance states with combined delay and switching times on the order of 1 nanosecond. Switching behavior of a complex of the present invention is related to the reduction potential of the acceptor molecule. Various other modifications, adaptations and alterations are of course possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, it should be understood at this time that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard S. Potember
- 👤 Theodore O. Poehler
- 👤 Dwaine O. Cowan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 16:19
CPC Classifications
B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; G; G11; G11C; G11C13/00; G11C13/0002; G11C13/0009; G11C13/0014; H; H10; H10K; H10K10/00; H10K85/00; H10K85/60; H10K85/611
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A method comprising the steps of: bringing a piece of metal into contact with a neutral acceptor, said contact producing an oxidation-reduction reaction which deposits a film of metal salt on said metal where said metal contacts said neutral acceptor, and said neutral acceptor selected from the group consisting of: TCNQ(OMe) TCNQ(OMe) 2 TCNQ(OMe)(OEt) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Pr) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Bu) TCNQ(O--i--C 2 H 5 ) TCNQ(OEt)(SMe) TCNQCl TCNQBr TCNQClMe TCNQBrMe TCNQIMe TCNQI TCNQ(OMe)(OCH 3 ) 2 TCNQ(CN) 2 TCNQ(Me) TCNQ(Et) TCNQ(i--Pr) TCNQ(i--Pr) 2 TNAP TCNE DDQ: and, applying an electric field across said film for switching said film from a first impedance state to a second impedance state, said electric field having sufficient energy to induce a solid state reversible electrochemical reaction in said film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
121 words
A method comprising the steps of: bringing a piece of metal into contact with a neutral acceptor, said contact producing an oxidation-reduction reaction which deposits a film of metal salt on said metal where said metal contacts said neutral acceptor, and said neutral acceptor selected from the group consisting of: TCNQ(OMe) TCNQ(OMe) 2 TCNQ(OMe)(OEt) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Pr) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Bu) TCNQ(O--i--C 2 H 5 ) TCNQ(OEt)(SMe) TCNQCl TCNQBr TCNQClMe TCNQBrMe TCNQIMe TCNQI TCNQ(OMe)(OCH 3 ) 2 TCNQ(CN) 2 TCNQ(Me) TCNQ(Et) TCNQ(i--Pr) TCNQ(i--Pr) 2 TNAP TCNE DDQ: and, applying an electric field across said film for switching said film from a first impedance state to a second impedance state, said electric field having sufficient energy to induce a solid state reversible electrochemical reaction in said film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of copper and silver.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said film is a polycrystalline film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said metal is a metal substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said metal is brought into contact with said neutral acceptor where said neutral acceptor is in solution.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
119 words
A method comprising the steps of: forming a solution by dissolving a neutral acceptor in a solvent, said neutral acceptor selected from the group consisting of: TCNQ(Ome) TCNQ(Ome) 2 TCNQ(Ome)(OEt) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Pr) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Bu) TCNQ(O--i--C 2 H 5 ) TCNQ(OEt)(SMe) TCNQCl TCNQBr TCNQClMe TCNQBrMe TCNQIMe TCNQI TCNQ(OMe)(OCH 3 ) 2 TCNQ(CN) 2 TCNQ(Me) TCNQ(Et) TCNQ(i--Pr) TCNQ(i--Pr) 2 TNAP TCNE DDQ; bringing a piece of metal into contact with said solution, thereby producing a film on said metal caused in an oxidation-reduction reaction; and, applying an electric field across said film for switching said film from a first impedance state to a second impedance state, said electric field having sufficient energy to induce a solid state reversible electrochemical reaction in said film.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
119 words
A method comprising the steps of: forming a solution by dissolving a neutral acceptor in a solvent, said neutral acceptor selected from the group consisting of: TCNQ(Ome) TCNQ(Ome) 2 TCNQ(Ome)(OEt) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Pr) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Bu) TCNQ(O--i--C 2 H 5 ) TCNQ(OEt)(SMe) TCNQCl TCNQBr TCNQClMe TCNQBrMe TCNQIMe TCNQI TCNQ(OMe)(OCH 3 ) 2 TCNQ(CN) 2 TCNQ(Me) TCNQ(Et) TCNQ(i--Pr) TCNQ(i--Pr) 2 TNAP TCNE DDQ; bringing a piece of metal into contact with said solution, thereby producing a film on said metal caused in an oxidation-reduction reaction; and, applying an electric field across said film for switching said film from a first impedance state to a second impedance state, said electric field having sufficient energy to induce a solid state reversible electrochemical reaction in said film.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of copper and silver.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said film is a polycrystalline film.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 6, comprising the further step of: removing said metal, having said film form thereon, from contact with said solution when said film has attained a desired thickness.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of: removing said metal, having said film form thereon, from contact with said neutral acceptor when said film has attained a desired thickness.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 9, comprising the further steps of: washing said metal, having said film form thereon, with a solvent to remove unreactive amounts of said neutral acceptor from said film; and, drying said washed metal, having the film form thereon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, 2, 6 or 7, further comprising the step of attaching an electrode to said film such that said film is located between said metal and said electrode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the attaching of the electrode comprises the step of: sputtering said metal electrode onto the surface of said film.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the attaching of said electrode comprises the step of: evaporating said metal electrode onto the surface of the film.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the attaching of said electrode comprises the step of: pressure contacting said electrode to said film.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of: connecting a first external contact wire to the attached electrode and connecting a second external contact wire to said metal at a point where the metal was not in contact with said film.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
173 words
A method comprising the steps of: forming a solution by dissolving a neutral acceptor in a solvent, said neutral acceptor selected from the group consisting of: TCNQ(Ome) TCNQ(Ome) 2 TCNQ(Ome)(OEt) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Pr) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Bu) TCNQ(O--i--C 2 H 5 ) TCNQ(OEt)(SMe) TCNQCl TCNQBr TCNQClMe TCNQBrMe TCNQIMe TCNQI TCNQ(OMe)(OCH 3 ) 2 TCNQ(CN) 2 TCNQ(Me) TCNQ(Et) TCNQ(i--Pr) TCNQ(i--Pr) 2 TNAP TCNE DDQ; bringing a piece of metal, selected from the group consisting of copper and silver, into contact with said solution thereby producing a film on said metal by an oxidation-reduction reaction; removing said metal, having said film formed thereon, from contact with said solution when said film has attained a desired thickness; attaching an electrode to said film such that said film is located between said metal and said electrode and, applying an electrical potential between said electrode and said metal for switching said film from a first impedance state to a second impedance state, said electrical potential will induce a solid state reversible electrochemical reaction in said film when said potential exceeds a certain value.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
173 words
A method comprising the steps of: forming a solution by dissolving a neutral acceptor in a solvent, said neutral acceptor selected from the group consisting of: TCNQ(Ome) TCNQ(Ome) 2 TCNQ(Ome)(OEt) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Pr) TCNQ(OMe)(O--i--Bu) TCNQ(O--i--C 2 H 5 ) TCNQ(OEt)(SMe) TCNQCl TCNQBr TCNQClMe TCNQBrMe TCNQIMe TCNQI TCNQ(OMe)(OCH 3 ) 2 TCNQ(CN) 2 TCNQ(Me) TCNQ(Et) TCNQ(i--Pr) TCNQ(i--Pr) 2 TNAP TCNE DDQ; bringing a piece of metal, selected from the group consisting of copper and silver, into contact with said solution thereby producing a film on said metal by an oxidation-reduction reaction; removing said metal, having said film formed thereon, from contact with said solution when said film has attained a desired thickness; attaching an electrode to said film such that said film is located between said metal and said electrode and, applying an electrical potential between said electrode and said metal for switching said film from a first impedance state to a second impedance state, said electrical potential will induce a solid state reversible electrochemical reaction in said film when said potential exceeds a certain value.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4206308A
Cited
US4371883A
Cited
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