Single-electron semiconductor device

A semiconductor device which comprises:

• a substrate;
• an insulating layer formed on the substrate;
• a silicon layer having an exposed surface constituted by a Si (100) face, said silicon layer being provided with a plurality of tapered recesses with each recess having a bottom at which a part of said silicon layer remains without exposing said insulating layer;
• first conductive regions constituted by said silicon layer remaining at said bottom of each said tapered recess;
• and
• second and third conductive regions formed on respective sides of each of said tapered recesses,
• wherein said first conductive regions function as tunneling barriers and directionality is provided to electrons allowed to pass through the tunneling barriers by controlling a barrier height of each tunneling barrier.

A semiconductor device which comprises:

• a substrate;
• an insulating layer formed on the substrate;
• a silicon layer having an exposed surface constituted by a Si (100) face, said silicon layer being provided with a plurality of tapered recesses with each recess having a bottom at which a part of said silicon layer remains without exposing said insulating layer;
• first conductive regions constituted by said silicon layer remaining at said bottom of each said tapered recess;
• second and third conductive regions formed on respective sides of each of said tapered recesses:
• an insulating film, formed on said silicon layer and inner surfaces of said tapered recesses;
• and
• a plurality of electrodes formed on said insulating film formed on said inner surfaces of said tapered recesses,
• wherein a flow of electrons resulting from the tunneling effect from the second conductive region to the third conductive region is controlled by a controlling a voltage impressed onto each of said electrodes.

A semiconductor device which comprises:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a plurality of conductive sections formed on said semiconductor substrate;
• a plurality of tunneling barriers each constituted by a conductive region connected to each said conductive section and having an thickness smaller than that of said conductive section on said semiconductor substrate;
• an insulating layer formed on said tunneling barriers;
• and
• a plurality of electrodes formed on said insulating layer,
• wherein a flow of tunneling effect electrons from one conductive section via one of said tunneling barriers to an adjacent conductive section is controlled by controlling a voltage to be impressed onto one of said electrodes.

A semiconductor device which comprises:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a plurality of conductive sections formed on said semiconductor substrate;
• and
• a plurality of tunneling barriers each constituted by a conductive region connected to said conductive section and having a thickness smaller than that of said conductive section on said semiconductor substrate,
• wherein said semiconductor substrate comprises a GaAs substrate, an AlGaAs layer formed on said GaAs substrate, and a GaAs layer formed on said AlGaAs layer.

A semiconductor device which comprises:

• a substrate;
• an insulating layer formed on the substrate;
• a silicon layer having an exposed surface constituted by a Si (100) face, said silicon layer being provided with a plurality of tapered recesses each having a bottom at which a part of said silicon layer remains without exposing said insulating layer;
• a plurality of first conductive regions each constituted by said silicon layer remaining at said bottom of said tapered recess;
• a second conductive region formed on one outermost side of said plurality of first conductive regions;
• a third conductive region formed on the other outermost side of said plurality of first conductive regions;
• a plurality of fourth conductive regions each formed between a pair of said first conductive regions;
• an insulating film formed on an inner surface of each of said tapered recesses and on each of said fourth conductive regions;
• a first electrode formed on a portion of said insulating film that is formed on said inner surface of each of said tapered recesses;
• and
• a second electrode formed on a portion of said insulating film that is formed on each of said fourth conductive regions.