Variable capacitor and memory device employing the same

Abstract

A variable capacitor and a memory device employing the same. The variable capacitor includes a first electrode formed above a substrate; a second electrode suspended with respect to the first electrode to be moved back and forth with respect to the first electrode; and an actuator for varying a capacitance. One end of the actuator is connected to the second electrode and mounted with respect to the substrate to move the second electrode with respect to the first electrode in accordance with a voltage signal input through a driving electrode exposed externally. The memory device includes a transistor having a source, a gate, and a drain formed above a substrate, which are spaced apart from each other, a capacitor connected to the source, and an actuator varying a capacitance of the capacitor. With the variable capacitor and the memory device employing the same, the variable capacitor allows the correction of a capacitance error caused during the manufacturing process by varying the capacitance of the capacitor through the electrical driving voltage and provides compatibility in use to be fit to the specification of an electronic unit to which the capacitor is to be applied. The memory device can store multiple values more extensive than binary values in one memory cell, to increase the data storage density thereof.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.