Three-terminal tunnel device
US4969019A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 27, 1987 |
| Grant date | Nov 6, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 27, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D12/211
Abstract
A semiconductor device for generating tunnel electron carries without a depleted PN junction. A heavily doped P-type semiconductor region (12) is formed in a lightly doped P-type semiconductor substrate (10), and spaced apart from a heavily doped N-type semiconductor region (18), forming a conduction channel (20) therebetween. A thin electrical insulator (14) is formed overlying the P-type region (12) and the conduction channel (20). A gate conductor (16) is formed overlying the thin insulating layer (14). Connections to the semiconductor device are provided by a substrate terminal (22) connected to the substrate (10), a gate terminal (24) connected to the gate conductor (16), and a drain terminal (26) connected to N-type semiconductor region (18). A voltage applied to the gate terminal (24) is effective to cause band bending in the P-type region (12) in excess of the band gap, thereby causing tunneling of electrons from the valence band to the conduction band. Inversion of the P-type region (12) is prevented by a drain voltage applied to the N-type region (18) which attracts conduction electrons.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.