# US 5,350,930 A · Cluster compound microelectronic component > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,350,930 A - Document ID: US5350930A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/041,239 - Filed: 1993-03-31 - Granted: 1994-09-27 - Earliest claimed: 1992-04-09 - Inventors: Gunter Schmid; Gunter Schon; Ulrich Simon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5350930A ## CPC - H10N 70/00: Solid-state devices having no potential barriers, and specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching (integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N79/00) - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## Abstract The invention relates to a microelectronic component with a component body determining the electronic properties of the component and functioning on the basis of a quantum wire or quantum point system. The the component body is formed of at least one, but in most cases a plurality of cluster molecules which adjoin one another, and the cluster molecules are formed of a metallic cluster nucleus and nonmetallic (insulating) ligand shell externally shielding and stabilizing the cluster nucleus. The cluster nucleus of the cluster molecules is formed of atoms of a transition metal, preferably silver (Ag), gold (Au), cobalt (Co), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rh), Ruthenium (Ru). ## Claims ### Claim 1 Microelectronic component having a component body comprised of at least one molecular cluster of a cluster compound, said molecular cluster having a metallic cluster nucleus and an insulating ligand shell externally shielding and stabilizing the cluster nucleus in a manner enabling excitation of free electrons in the cluster nucleus by action of an external excitation parameter on the at least one molecular cluster and means for applying said external excitation parameter to the component body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Microelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein said component body comprises a plurality of adjoining molecular clusters of the cluster compound having a metallic cluster nucleus and an insulating ligand shell; and wherein said means for applying said external excitation parameter to the component body comprises at least two connecting electrodes which are mechanically connected with the cluster compound of the body as a means for electrically connecting the component to an electronic circuit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Microelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein the cluster nucleus of the at least one molecular cluster consists of atoms of a transition metal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Microelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein the cluster nucleus of the at least one molecular cluster comprises atoms of a metal selected from the group consisting of silver (Ag), gold (Au), cobalt (Co), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru). ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) Microelectronic component according to claim 3, wherein the atoms in the cluster nucleus of the at least one molecular cluster are present as two shells in close-packed sphere packing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Microelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein the atoms in cluster nucleus of the at least one molecular cluster are present as two shells in close-packed sphere packing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) Microelectronic component according to claim 3, wherein the ligand shell of the at least one molecular cluster is made of phosphane molecules and chlorine atoms. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Microelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein the ligand shell of the at least one molecular cluster is made of phosphane molecules and chlorine atoms. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Microelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one molecular cluster has an outside diameter of about 2 nm, with a diameter of the cluster nucleus of about 1.2 to 1.6 nm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) Microelectronic component according to claim 2, wherein a layer of molecular clusters of the cluster compound are bonded together to form the component body by being bonded to the connecting electrodes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Microelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein the component body is formed of powdered or granular molecular clusters of the cluster compound which have been pressed at a pressure of at least about 10.sup.8 Pa into a mechanically interconnected component body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) Microelectronic component according to claim 9, wherein said means for applying said external excitation parameter to the component body comprises at least two connecting electrodes which are mechanically connected with the cluster compound of the body as a means for electrically connecting the component to an electronic circuit, said connecting electrodes having been simultaneously bonded with the cluster compound of component body during the formation thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) Microelectronic component according to claim 12, wherein the component body has maximum lateral dimensions of 2 to 10 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 to 1.0 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) Microelectronic component according to claim 11, wherein the component body has maximum lateral dimensions of 2 to 10 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 to 1.0 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) Microelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein the component body has maximum lateral dimensions of 2 to 10 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 to 1.0 mm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) Microelectronic component according to claim 12, wherein the connecting electrodes are placed on opposed surfaces of component body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) Microelectronic component according to claim 16, wherein the connecting electrodes comprise a grid of individual microelectrodes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) Microelectronic component according to claim 2, wherein connecting electrodes comprise a grid of individual microelectrodes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) Microelectronic component according to claim 2, wherein control electrodes are provided on the component body oriented crosswise relative to the connecting electrodes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) Microelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein the component is operable at room temperature. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) Microelectronic component according to claim 20, wherein the component is operable in an inert gas atmosphere. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) Microelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein the component is operated in an inert gas atmosphere. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) Microelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein the said means for applying said external excitation parameter to the component body comprises means for applying ultrahigh frequency waves to the component body. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) Microelectronic component according to claim 23, wherein the said means for applying ultrahigh frequency waves to the component body is operable to provide wave in a frequency range of light. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) Microelectronic component according to claim 24, wherein the cluster nucleus of the cluster compound consists of atoms of a transition metal. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) Microelectronic component according to claim 24, wherein the cluster nucleus of the at least one molecular cluster comprises atoms of a metal selected from the group consisting of silver (Ag), gold (Au), cobalt (Co), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru). ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) Microelectronic component according to claim 24, wherein the atoms in the cluster nucleus of the at least one molecular cluster are present as two shells in close-packed sphere packing. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) Microelectronic component according to claim 24, wherein the ligand shell of the at least one molecular cluster is made of phosphane molecules and chlorine atoms. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) Microelectronic component according to claim 24, wherein the at least one molecular cluster has an outside diameter of about 2 nm, with a diameter of the cluster nucleus of about 1.2 to 1.6 nm. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) Microelectronic component according to claim 24, wherein at least two connecting electrodes are mechanically connected with the cluster compound of the body as a means for electrically connecting the component to an electronic circuit. ### Claim 31 (depends on 24) Microelectronic component according to claim 24, wherein a layer of molecular clusters of the cluster compound are bonded together to form the component body by being bonded to the connecting electrodes. ### Claim 32 (depends on 24) Microelectronic component according to claim 24, wherein the component body is formed of powdered or granular molecular clusters of the cluster compound which have been pressed at a pressure of at least about 10.sup.8 Pa into a mechanically interconnected component body. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) Microelectronic component according to claim 32, wherein said means for applying said external excitation parameter to the component body comprises at least two connecting electrodes which are mechanically connected with the cluster compound of the body as a means for electrically connecting the component to an electronic circuit, said connecting electrodes having been simultaneously bonded with the cluster compound of component body during the formation thereof. ### Claim 34 (depends on 24) Microelectronic component according to claim 24, wherein a plurality of component bodies are dispersed in an embedding material. ### Claim 35 Method of controlling a microelectronic component comprised of a plurality adjoining molecular clusters of a cluster compound, each said molecular cluster having a metallic cluster nucleus and an insulating ligand shell externally shielding and stabilizing the cluster nucleus in a manner enabling excitation of free electrons in the cluster nucleus by action of an external excitation parameter on the cluster molecules, and means for applying said external excitation parameter to the component body, comprising the steps of applying said external excitation parameter to the component body by at least two connecting electrodes electrically connected with the material of the body. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) Method of controlling a microelectronic component according to claim 35, wherein said component body is simultaneously irradiated with light during application of said excitation parameter, said irradiation with light being controlled so as to cause absorption and subsequent emission of light by the component body. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) Method of controlling a microelectronic component according to claim 36, wherein said external excitation is performed using frequencies in a range between 10 Hz and 10 Mhz. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) Method of controlling a microelectronic component according to claim 35, wherein said external excitation is performed using frequencies in a range between 10 Hz and 10 Mhz.