Semiconductor integrated circuit having plural functional blocks, wherein one of the blocks comprises a small tunnel junction device and another block comprises a FET

Claim 2

A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising: a first functional block consisting essentially of a first circuit which includes a small tunnel junction device; and a second functional block consisting essentially of a second circuit which includes a field effect transistor, said second functional block being mutually connected to said first functional block, wherein said small tunnel junction device comprises: a substrate, an insulating layer provided on the substrate, a pair of electrodes provided on the insulating layer, and a tunnel barrier provided on said electrodes, said electrodes and thin film forming a small tunnel junction.

Claim 3

The circuit according to claim 1, wherein said first and second functional blocks are provided on a same substrate.

Claim 4

The circuit according to claim 2, wherein said tunnel barrier is a tunnel insulating film and said small tunnel junction device operates due to single-electron effect.

Claim 5

The circuit according to claim 1, wherein said first and second functional blocks are connected by a signal converter.

Claim 6

The circuit according to claim 4, wherein said signal converter is a differential amplifier comprising MISFETs.

Claim 7

The circuit according to claim 1, wherein said second functional block further includes an input/output section to be connected to an external circuit, said input/output section comprising a field-effect transistor.

Claim 8

The circuit according to claim 1, further comprising an input/output section connected to said second functional block, for receiving and supplying signals to an external circuit.

Claim 9

The circuit according to claim 1, wherein said first circuit further comprises a cell section including 1) a main cell having said small tunnel junction device which is to be supplied with input-signals and outputs-signals, and 2) a dummy cell to be supplied with dummy-signals and outputs dummy-output-signals.

Claim 10

The circuit according to claim 1, wherein said second functional block is arranged around said first functional block.

Claim 11

A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising: a first functional block consisting essentially of a first circuit which includes a small tunnel junction device; and a second functional block consisting essentially of a second circuit which includes a signal converter, wherein said signal converter includes a field effect transistor having a gate insulating film, and an electrode connected to said small tunnel junction device is provided in a source side portion of the gate insulating film and is electrically insulated to said field effect transistor.

Claim 12

A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising: a first functional block consisting essentially of a first circuit which includes a small tunnel junction device; and a second functional block consisting essentially of a second circuit which includes a signal converter, wherein said signal converter includes a field effect transistor having a gate insulating film, and an electrode connected to said small tunnel junction device is provided in a source side portion of the gate insulating film and is electrically insulated to said field effect transistor.

Claim 13

A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising: 1) a first functional block consisting essentially of a first circuit which includes a small tunnel junction device; and 2) a second functional block consisting essentially of (1) a second circuit which includes a field effect transistor, and (2) an input/output section to be connected to an external circuit, said second functional block being mutually connected to said first functional block and being located between said first functional block and said external circuit, whereby said first functional block is protected from noises which the external circuit generates, wherein said second functional block is adapted to amplify signals from said first functional block and output amplified signals to the external circuit and to attenuate signals from said external circuit and input attenuated signals to the first functional block.

Claim 14

A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising: 1) a first functional block consisting essentially of a first circuit which includes a small tunnel junction device; and 2) a second functional block consisting essentially of (1) a second circuit which includes a field effect transistor, and (2) an input/output section to be connected to an external circuit, said second functional block being mutually connected to said first functional block and being located between said first functional block and said external circuit, whereby said first functional block is protected from noises which the external circuit generates, wherein said second functional block is adapted to amplify signals from said first functional block and output amplified signals to the external circuit and to attenuate signals from said external circuit and input attenuated signals to the first functional block.

Claim 15

The circuit according to claim 11, wherein said first and second functional blocks are provided on a substrate.

Claim 16

The circuit according to claim 12, wherein an insulating layer is provided on said substrate, a conductive layer is provided on said insulating layer, a thin insulating film is provided on said conductive layer, said small tunnel junction device has junction electrodes made of said conductive layer and a tunnel insulating film made of said thin insulating film and operates due to single-electrode effect.

Claim 17

The circuit according to claim 11, wherein said first and second functional blocks are connected by a signal converter.

Claim 18

The circuit according to claim 14, wherein said signal converter is a differential amplifier comprising MISFETs.

Claim 19

The circuit according to claim 11, wherein said first circuit further comprises a cell section including 1) a main cell having said small tunnel junction device which is to be supplied with input-signals and outputs output-signals, and 2) a dummy cell to be supplied with dummy-signals and outputs dummy-output-signals.

Claim 20

The circuit according to claim 11, wherein said second functional block is arranged around said first functional block.

Claim 21

A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising: 1) a first functional block consisting essentially of a first circuit which comprises a cell section including (1) a main cell having a small tunnel junction which is to be supplied with input-signals and outputs output-signals, and (2) a dummy cell to be supplied with dummy-signals, said dummy cell outputs dummy-output-signals to be compared with said output-signals; and 2) a second functional block consisting essentially of a second circuit which includes a field effect transistor, said second functional block being mutually connected to said first functional block.

Claim 22

A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising: 1) a first functional block consisting essentially of a first circuit which comprises a cell section including (1) a main cell having a small tunnel junction which is to be supplied with input-signals and outputs output-signals, and (2) a dummy cell to be supplied with dummy-signals, said dummy cell outputs dummy-output-signals to be compared with said output-signals; and 2) a second functional block consisting essentially of a second circuit which includes a field effect transistor, said second functional block being mutually connected to said first functional block.

Claim 23

The circuit according to claim 18, wherein said first and second functional blocks are provided on a substrate.

Claim 24

The circuit according to claim 19, wherein an insulating layer is provided on said substrate, a conductive layer is provided on said insulating layer, a thin insulating film is provided on said conductive layer, said small tunnel junction device has junction electrodes made of said conductive layer and a tunnel insulating film made of said thin insulating film and operates due to single-electron effect.

Claim 25

The circuit according to claim 18, wherein said first and second functional blocks are connected by a signal converter.

Claim 26

The circuit according to claim 21, wherein said signal converter is a differential amplifier comprising MISFETs.

Claim 27

The circuit according to claim 18, wherein said second functional block further includes an input/output section connected to an external circuit, said input/output section comprising a field-effect transistor.

Claim 28

The circuit according to claim 18, further comprising an input/output section connected to said second functional block, for receiving and supplying signals to an external circuit.

Claim 29

The circuit according to claim 18, wherein said second functional block is arranged around said first functional block.

Claim 30

The circuit according to claim 1, wherein said tunnel barrier is a thin film.