Negative differential resistance device based on tunneling through microclusters, and method therefor
US6239450A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 14, 1999 |
| Grant date | May 29, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 14, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D62/53
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A solid state electronic device exhibiting negative differential resistance is fabricated by depositing a thin layer of amorphous silicon on a single crystal substrate, doped N.sup.+. The amorphous silicon is simultaneously crystallized and oxidized in a dry N.sub.2 and O.sub.2 mixture. The result is a layer of amorphous SiO.sub.2 surrounding microclusters of crystalline silicon. A layer of polycrystalline silicon is deposited to a thickness of approximately 0.5 micron. Ohmic metal contacts are made to the top and bottom. These active layers are isolated by insulating SiO.sub.2. A bias voltage applied between the metal contacts results in negative differential resistance due to tunneling through resonant energy levels in microclusters.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.