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AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorsKazuo Nakazato, Kiyoo Itoh, Hiroshi Mizuta, Toshikazu Shimada, Hideo Sunami, Tatsuya Teshima, Toshiyuki Mine, Ken Yamaguchi
Estimating the term…
A controllable conduction device in the form of a transistor comprises source and drain regions 5, 2 between which extends a conduction path P for charge carriers, a gate 4 for controlling charge carrier flow along the conduction path and a multiple layer structure 3 providing a multiple tunnel junction configuration in the conduction path, with the result that current leakage is blocked by the multiple tunnel junction configuration when the transistor is in its off state. Vertical and lateral transistor configurations are described, together with use of the transistor in complimentary pairs and for a random access memory cell. Improved gate structures are described which are also applicable to memory devices that incorporate the tunnel barrier configuration to store charge on the memory node.
A controllable conduction device comprising an upstanding pillar structure having a side wall and a top surface, the structure being formed of regions of relatively conductive and non-conductive material such that in a first condition, charge carrier flow can occur through the pillar structure and in a second condition the regions present a tunnel barrier configuration that inhibits charge carrier flow through the pillar structure, said regions providing an energy band profile that comprises a dimensionally relatively wide barrier component with a relatively low barrier height, and at least one relatively narrow barrier component with a relatively high barrier height, and a side gate structure alongside the side wall of the pillar structure, configured to apply an electric field through the side wall into the pillar structure to control electrical conductivity therein.
A memory device comprising a barrier structure formed of regions of relatively conductive and non-conductive material such that in a first condition, charge carrier flow can occur through the pillar structure and in a second condition the regions present a tunnel barrier configuration that inhibits charge carrier flow through the structure, a memory node to receive charge carriers that pass along a path through the structure, and a control electrode for supplying charge carriers to the path so as to pass through the structure to be stored at the node, wherein the regions of non-conductive material are configured so as to provide an energy band profile that comprises dimensionally relatively narrow barrier components adjacent the memory node and the control electrode respectively, and a dimensionally relatively wide barrier component between the narrow barrier components, the barrier components being configured such as to provide non-volatile charge storage at the node.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.