US5362972A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Semiconductor device using whiskers
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1991-04-17
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Granted: 1994-11-08
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Expires: 2011-04-17
Abstract
Abstract A field effect transistor and a ballistic transistor using semiconductor whiskers each having a desired diameter and formed at s desired location, a semiconductor vacuum microelectronic device using the same as electron emitting materials, a light emitting device using the same as quantum wires and the like are disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Masamitsu Yazawa
- 👤 Kenji Hiruma
- 👤 Toshio Katsuyama
- 👤 Nobutaka Futigami
- 👤 Hidetoshi Matsumoto
- 👤 Hiroshi Kakibayashi
- 👤 Masanari Koguchi
- 👤 Gerard P. Morgan
- 👤 Kensuke Ogawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 07:43
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/10; H10D62/117; H10D62/118; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; B82Y20/00; C; C30; C30B; C30B25/00; C30B25/005; C30B29/00; C30B29/10; C30B29/40; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/30; H01S5/34; H01S5/341; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/012; H10D30/014; H10D30/015; H10D30/021; H10D30/202; H10D30/40; H10D30/43; H10D48/00; H10D48/01; H10D48/031; H10D48/032; H10D62/119; H10D62/121; H10D62/122; H10D62/80; H10D62/81; H10D62/812; H10D62/813; H10D8/00; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/24; H10P14/27; H10P14/271; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2907; H10P14/2911; H10P14/2926; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3214; H10P14/3218; H10P14/3221; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3414; H10P14/3418; H10P14/3421; H10P14/3422; H10P14/3424; H10P14/3436; H01S5/10; H01S5/1042; H10D62/85; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/81; H10H20/817; H10H20/818; H10H29/00; H10H29/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 49
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate of one conductive type; and a semiconductor whisker channel which is grown epitaxially on said substrate and has a diameter of 0.1 μm or less to contact with a surface of the substrate at one end thereof and apart from the substrate surface at another end thereof, and acts as a semiconductor quantum wire; wherein said whisker channel has two ends and both ends are connected electrically to ohmic electrodes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
77 words
A semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate of one conductive type; and a semiconductor whisker channel which is grown epitaxially on said substrate and has a diameter of 0.1 μm or less to contact with a surface of the substrate at one end thereof and apart from the substrate surface at another end thereof, and acts as a semiconductor quantum wire; wherein said whisker channel has two ends and both ends are connected electrically to ohmic electrodes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said whisker channel forms a channel of a field effect transistor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said whisker channel is buried with an insulator layer, a gate film and an insulator layer in this order so as to surround the circumference of said whisker channel, and the conductive type of said substrate and whisker channel is an n-type.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein said substrate is composed of a semi-insulating substrate with an n-type GaAs layer formed thereon, and said whisker channel is composed of n-type InAs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said whisker channel is buried with an n-type compound semiconductor layer, a gate film and an n-type compound semiconductor layer in this order, said n-type compound semiconductor has an electron affinity smaller than that of the compound semiconductor of said whisker channel, the conductive type of said substrate is an n-type, and said whisker channel is undoped.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein a Schottky junction is formed where said gate film and said whisker channels are joined with each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein a Schottky junction is formed where said gate film and said whisker channels are joined with each other.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein a Schottky junction is formed where said gate film and said whisker channels are joined with each other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said whisker channel grows perpendicularly to said substrate surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein said whisker channel grows perpendicularly to said substrate surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein said whisker channel grows perpendicularly to said substrate surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein said whisker channel grows perpendicularly to said substrate surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said whisker channel grows perpendicularly to said substrate surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein said whisker channel grows perpendicularly to said substrate surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein said whisker channel grows perpendicularly to said substrate surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
77 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said whisker channel forms a ballistic transistor channel, the length thereof is 400 nm or shorter, a Schottky gate film is formed on said semiconductor substrate of one conductive type so as to surround said ballistic transistor channel, the film thickness of said gate film corresponds to the length of said ballistic transistor channel, and said semiconductor substrate of one conductive type is composed of an n-type compound semiconductor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
107 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein an undoped compound semiconductor layer is formed between said whisker channel and said semiconductor substrate of one conductive type, a ballistic transistor channel is formed with said undoped compound semiconductor layer and said whisker channel, the length of the channel has the length of 400 nm or less, a Schottky gate film is formed on said undoped compound semiconductor layer so as to surround said ballistic transistor channel, the film thickness of said gate film corresponds to the length of said ballistic transistor channel, and the conductive type of said semiconductor substrate of one conductive type is an n-type.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein said whisker channel is buried with an insulator layer at the top and the bottom of said gate film, and the whisker channel projecting from the top insulator layer is buried with a highly doped n-type semiconductor layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 17, wherein said whisker channel is buried with an insulator layer at the top and the bottom of said gate film, and the whisker channel projecting from the top insulator layer is buried with a highly doped n-type semiconductor layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein said whisker channel grows perpendicularly to said substrate surface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 17, wherein said whisker channel grows perpendicularly to said substrate surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 18, wherein said whisker channel grows perpendicularly to said substrate surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein said whisker channel grows perpendicularly to said substrate surface.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
50 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said semiconductor quantum wire is formed by surrounding around a circumference of said semiconductor whiskers with air or a medium having a refractive index equivalent to that of air, and a diameter of each semiconductor whisker is at 0.1 μm or less.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said semiconductor quantum wire has a junction between different conductive types in the direction of said both ends of said semiconductor quantum wire.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 24, wherein said semiconductor quantum wire has a junction between different conductive types in the direction of said both ends of said semiconductive quantum wire.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor quantum wire has a heterojunction of semiconductor included in III-V group compound semiconductors, II-VI group compound semiconductors and element semiconductors in the direction of said both ends of said semiconductor quantum wire.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
41 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 24, wherein said semiconductor quantum wire has a heterojunction of semiconductors including in III-V group compound semiconductors, II-VI group compound semiconductors and element semiconductors in the direction of said both ends of said semiconductor quantum.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 27, wherein said semiconductor device further comprises a transistor formed on said substrate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 28, wherein said semiconductor device further comprises a transistor formed on said substrate.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
44 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor whisker channel is formed through a mask composed of at least two layers, having at least one opening portion provided on a surface of said substrate exposed in the opening region of the mask.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 31, wherein a line of semiconductor whiskers is formed in an opening portion of a mask.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
51 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 31, wherein, in a mask opening portion in which said semiconductor whisker is formed, a first mask layer closest to the substrate is composed of an insulator and at least one layer among mask layers except said first mask layer is composed of a metal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor device comprises an optical element in which light is emitted by applying an electric current to said semiconductor whisker channel through said electrodes.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 34, wherein at least one electric element is formed further on said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
A semiconductor device, wherein a diameter of a whisker crystal is at 0.1 μm or less in the optical element set forth in claim 32.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
24 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 34, wherein an electric property varies along a longitudinal direction of the whisker crystal in an optical element.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein an electric property is varied from one of a group consisting of an n-type to a p-type and a p-type to an n-type in an optical element.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
40 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein an electric property is varied from an n-type to an i-type and then to a p-type or from a p-type to an i-type and then to an n-type in an optical element.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
41 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 34, wherein a medium around a whisker crystal is different from a material quality of the whisker crystal and electronegativity is smaller than that of the material quality of the whisker in an optical element.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
23 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 34, wherein a medium around a whisker crystal is composed of an insulator in an optical element.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
32 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 34, wherein a semiconductor substrate on which said whisker crystal is made to grow is composed of one of a group consisting of GaAs and InP.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
37 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 42, wherein a plane orientation of a semiconductor substrate on which a whisker is made to grow is one of a group consisting of (110) and (111) in an optical element.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
29 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 43, wherein shift of the plane orientation of a substrate is at 5° or less in the plane orientation of the semiconductor substrate.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
32 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein grooves are formed on a surface of said substrate, and said semiconductor whisker channel is formed on said substrate surface except on said grooves.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
37 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a growth direction of the semiconductor whisker channel is in accord with a direction of an atomic dangling bond extending from elements forming an outer surface of the substrate.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
49 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor quantum wire is formed by surrounding a circumference of said semiconductor whisker with a medium being different from a material quality of said semiconductor whisker and having electronegativity smaller than that of the material quality of said semiconductor whisker.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
30 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor quantum wire is formed by surrounding a circumference of said semiconductor whisker with a medium being composed of an insulator.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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