Switching atomic transistor and method for operating same

A method of operating a switching atomic transistor including a source electrode formed on a substrate, a drain electrode formed on the substrate and spaced apart from the source electrode, an intermediate layer formed over the source electrode and the drain electrode to fill the space between the source electrode and the drain electrode, a diffusion barrier layer formed on the intermediate layer, and an ion source gate electrode formed on the diffusion barrier layer, the method comprising:

• applying an overvoltage to the ion source gate electrode;
• enabling ions to migrate from the ion source gate electrode into the intermediate layer due to the overvoltage;
• applying a positive voltage to the ion source gate electrode so that ions migrate to a channel area inside the intermediate layer to form an ion layer;
• and
• applying a negative voltage to the ion source gate electrode so that ions migrate toward the ion source gate to eliminate the ion layer.

A vertical atomic transistor comprising:

• a substrate;
• a drain electrode formed on the substrate;
• an ion channel layer formed on the drain electrode and disposed perpendicularly to the substrate;
• a first diffusion barrier layer formed on a side surface of the ion channel layer;
• an ion source gate electrode formed in contact with an outer surface of the first diffusion barrier layer;
• a second diffusion barrier layer formed on the ion channel layer;
• and
• a source electrode formed on the second diffusion barrier layer.

A method of operating a vertical atomic transistor having an ion channel layer formed perpendicularly to a substrate, a source electrode and a drain electrode formed over and under the ion channel layer, and an ion source gate electrode formed in contact with a side surface of the ion channel layer, the method comprising:

• applying an overvoltage to the source electrode so that metal ions migrate from the source electrode into the ion channel layer to form a conductive bridge;
• applying a negative voltage to the ion source gate electrode so that the ions forming the conductive bridge in the ion channel layer migrate toward a first diffusion prevention layer to remove a portion of the conductive bridge;
• and
• applying a positive voltage to the ion source gate electrode so that the ions forming the conductive bridge in the ion channel layer migrate to a center of the ion channel layer to form the conductive bridge.