Patent US2181108A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6844566B2
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Suspended gate single-electron device
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 2003-05-30
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Granted: 2005-01-18
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Expires: 2023-05-30
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a single-electron transistor device ( 100 ). The device ( 100 ) comprises a source ( 105 ) and drain ( 100 ) located over a substrate ( 115 ) and a quantum island ( 120 ) situated between the source and drain ( 105, 110 ), to form tunnel junctions ( 125, 130 ) between the source and drain ( 105, 110 ). The device ( 100 ) further includes a movable electrode ( 135 ) located adjacent the quantum island ( 120 ) and a displaceable dielectric ( 140 ) located between the moveable electrode ( 135 ) and the quantum island ( 120 ). The present invention also includes a method of fabricating a single-electron device ( 200 ), and a transistor circuit ( 300 ) that include a single-electron device ( 310 ).
Inventors
- 👤 Christoph Wasshuber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:47
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C13/00; G11C13/02; G11C13/025; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; G11C23/00; H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/40; H10D30/402; G11C2213/00; G11C2213/10; G11C2213/17; G11C2216/00; G11C2216/02; G11C2216/08; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/902; Y10S977/932; Y10S977/936; Y10S977/937
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
42 words
A single-electron transistor device, comprising: a source and drain supported by a substrate; a quantum island located between said source and drain and that forms tunnel junctions between said source and said drain; and a movable electrode located adjacent said quantum island.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
42 words
A single-electron transistor device, comprising: a source and drain supported by a substrate; a quantum island located between said source and drain and that forms tunnel junctions between said source and said drain; and a movable electrode located adjacent said quantum island.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The single-electron transistor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said movable electrode is movable with respect to said quantum island to change a capacitance between said quantum island and said movable electrode when a voltage is applied to said movable electrode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The single-electron transistor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said moveable electrode is a cantilevered arm member or a supported membrane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The single-electron transistor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said source and drain and said quantum island are located in substantially a same plane and said moveable electrode is located substantially out of said plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The single-electron transistor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said tunnel junctions include a gap between said source and drain and said quantum island, said gap ranging from about 1 nanometer to about 1000 nanometers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The single-electron transistor device as recited in claim 5 , wherein a dielectric material is located within said gap.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The single-electron transistor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said source and drain and said quantum island comprises silicon and said moveable electrode comprises aluminum.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The single-electron transistor device as recited in claim 1 , further including a gap that separates said quantum island and said moveable electrode and wherein a displaceable dielectric is located within said gap.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The single-electron transistor device as recited in claim 8 , further including a fixed gate located adjacent said quantum island, said fixed gate located to cause a change in a Coulomb blockade energy of said tunnel junctions when a gate voltage is applied to said fixed gate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The single-electron transistor device as recited in claim 1 , further includes a filter configured to allow a drain current having a predefined Coulomb oscillation frequency to pass through said filter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
75 words
A transistor circuit, comprising: a single-electron device comprising: a source and drain located over a substrate; a quantum island situated between said source and drain and that forms tunnel junctions between said source and said drain; and a movable gate located adjacent said quantum island and that is separated from said quantum island by a gap; and a MOSFET coupled to said single-electron device and configured to amplify a drain current from said single-electron device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
75 words
A transistor circuit, comprising: a single-electron device comprising: a source and drain located over a substrate; a quantum island situated between said source and drain and that forms tunnel junctions between said source and said drain; and a movable gate located adjacent said quantum island and that is separated from said quantum island by a gap; and a MOSFET coupled to said single-electron device and configured to amplify a drain current from said single-electron device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The transistor circuit as recited in claim 11 , wherein said movable gate is configured to move with respect to said quantum island to change a capacitance between said quantum island and said movable gate when a voltage is applied to said movable gate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The transistor circuit as recited in claim 12 wherein a displaceable dielectric is located with said gap.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
88 words
The transistor circuit as recited in claim 13 , wherein said transistor circuit when operated at a given voltage is configured to have a first amplitude that causes said drain current to have a first Coulomb oscillation frequency that is between about 0.1 and about 1.0 GHz which corresponds to a first logic state, and further configured to have a second amplitude that causes a second Coulomb oscillation frequency of said drain current that is between about 10 and about 20 GHz corresponds to a second logic state.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The transistor circuit as recited in claim 11 , further including a filter coupled to said single-electron device and said MOSFET, said filter configured to allow said drain current to pass through said filter when said drain current has a predefined Coulomb oscillation frequency.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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