US7619241B2
Active / In Force
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Variable capacitor single-electron transistor including a P-N junction gate electrode
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 2006-12-11
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Granted: 2009-11-17
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Expires: 2026-12-11
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a single-electron transistor device 100 . The device comprises a source 105 and drain 110 located over a substrate 115 and a quantum island 120 situated between the source and drain, to form tunnel junctions 125, 130 between the source and drain. The device further includes a fixed-gate electrode 135 located adjacent the quantum island 120 . The fixed-gate electrode has a capacitance associated therewith that varies as a function of an applied voltage to the fixed-gate electrode. The present invention also includes a method of fabricating a single-electron device 300 , and a transistor circuit 800 that include a single-electron device 810.
Inventors
- 👤 Christoph Wasshuber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 04:45
CPC Classifications
B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; G; G11; G11C; G11C13/00; G11C13/02; G11C13/025; G11C23/00; H; H10; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/62; H10D1/64; H10D1/66; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/0411; H10D30/40; H10D30/402; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/031; H10D64/035; G11C2213/00; G11C2213/10; G11C2213/17; G11C2216/00; G11C2216/02; G11C2216/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
282 words
An apparatus comprising: a single-electron device having: a drain region formed on a substrate; a first dielectric region formed on the substrate adjacent to the drain region; a quantum island formed on the substrate and adjacent to the first dielectric region; a second dielectric region formed on the substrate and adjacent to the quantum island; a source region formed on the substrate and adjacent to the second dielectric region; a third dielectric region formed on the substrate and adjacent to the quantum island; a P-type region formed on the substrate and adjacent to the third dielectric region; an N-type region formed on the substrate; and a depletion region located between the P-type region and the N-type region; and a dielectric region formed between the gate electrode and the quantum island; a MOSFET that is coupled to the single-electron device and configured to amplify a drain current from the single-electron device; and a filter coupled to-the single-electron device and the MOSFET, the filter configured to allow the drain current to pass through the filter when the drain current has a predefined Coulomb oscillation frequency, and wherein the apparatus, when operated at a first voltage is configured to have a first amplitude that causes the drain current to have a first Coulomb oscillation frequency that is between about 0.1 and about 1.0 GHz, and which corresponds to a first logic state, and further configured at a second voltage to have a second amplitude that causes the drain current to have a second Coulomb oscillation frequency of the drain current that is at least between about 2 to 3 times greater than the first Coulomb oscillation frequency, and which corresponds to a second logic state.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
282 words
An apparatus comprising: a single-electron device having: a drain region formed on a substrate; a first dielectric region formed on the substrate adjacent to the drain region; a quantum island formed on the substrate and adjacent to the first dielectric region; a second dielectric region formed on the substrate and adjacent to the quantum island; a source region formed on the substrate and adjacent to the second dielectric region; a third dielectric region formed on the substrate and adjacent to the quantum island; a P-type region formed on the substrate and adjacent to the third dielectric region; an N-type region formed on the substrate; and a depletion region located between the P-type region and the N-type region; and a dielectric region formed between the gate electrode and the quantum island; a MOSFET that is coupled to the single-electron device and configured to amplify a drain current from the single-electron device; and a filter coupled to-the single-electron device and the MOSFET, the filter configured to allow the drain current to pass through the filter when the drain current has a predefined Coulomb oscillation frequency, and wherein the apparatus, when operated at a first voltage is configured to have a first amplitude that causes the drain current to have a first Coulomb oscillation frequency that is between about 0.1 and about 1.0 GHz, and which corresponds to a first logic state, and further configured at a second voltage to have a second amplitude that causes the drain current to have a second Coulomb oscillation frequency of the drain current that is at least between about 2 to 3 times greater than the first Coulomb oscillation frequency, and which corresponds to a second logic state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
85 words
A transistor circuit, comprising: a single-electron device including: a source and drain located over a substrate; a quantum island situated between the source and the drain and that forms tunnel junctions between the source and the drain; and a P-N junction fixed-gate electrode located adjacent the quantum island, the fixed-gate electrode having a capacitance associated therewith that varies as a function of an applied voltage; and a MOSFET to coupled to the single-electron device and configured to amplify a drain current from the single-electron device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
85 words
A transistor circuit, comprising: a single-electron device including: a source and drain located over a substrate; a quantum island situated between the source and the drain and that forms tunnel junctions between the source and the drain; and a P-N junction fixed-gate electrode located adjacent the quantum island, the fixed-gate electrode having a capacitance associated therewith that varies as a function of an applied voltage; and a MOSFET to coupled to the single-electron device and configured to amplify a drain current from the single-electron device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The transistor circuit as recited in claim 2 , further including a filter coupled to the single-electron device and the MOSFET, the filter configured to allow the drain current to pass through the filter when the drain current has a predefined Coulomb oscillation frequency.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein the fixed-gate electrode further comprises: a dielectric region located adjacent to the quantum island; an N-type region; a P-type region formed adjacent to the dielectric region; and a depletion region located between the N-type regions and the P-type region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The transistor circuit as recited in claim 2 , wherein the fixed-gate electrode is configured change a capacitance between the quantum island and the fixed-gate electrode when a voltage is applied to the fixed-gate electrode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
108 words
The transistor circuit as recited in claim 5 , wherein the transistor circuits, when operated at a first voltage is configured to have a first amplitude that causes the drain current to have a first Coulomb oscillation frequency that is between about 0.1 and about 1.0 GHz, and which corresponds to a first logic state, and further configured at a second voltage to have a second amplitude that causes the drain current to have a second Coulomb oscillation frequency of the drain current that is at least between about 2 to 3 times greater than the first Coulomb oscillation frequency, and which corresponds to a second logic state.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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