Supermolecular structures and devices made from same
AssigneesSemiconductor Research Corporation, North Carolina State University
InventorsDaniel Joseph Christian Herr, Victor Vladimirovich Zhirnov
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Abstract
Supermolecular structures and devices made from same. Semiconductor materials and devices are manufactured and provided which use controlled, discrete distribution of and positioning of single impurity atoms or molecules within a host matrix to take advantage of single charge effects. Single-dopant pn junctions and single-dopant bipolar cells are created. Each bipolar cell can function as a bistable device or an oscillator, depending on operating temperature. The cells can be used alone or in an array to make useful devices by adding an insulating substrate and contact electrodes.
Claims22
A single charge oscillator array comprising a plurality of electrostatically coupled, single-dopant bipolar cells, each cell further comprising:
- a host structure;
- a pair of atoms of a first type disposed so that a single atom of the pair resides at each of two opposing sides of the host structure;
- and
- a single atom of a second type disposed between the atoms of the first type within the host structure, each single atom having been positioned at least in part by controlled placement on a surface so that two asymmetrical potential wells, separated by a barrier, are formed within the host structure.
A pn junction formed from a supermolecular structure comprising:
- a host material;
- and
- impurities such that the positions of component atoms are substantially fixed, at least in part by controlled placement on a surface, to impart substantially predictable single-charge properties to the structure, the structure also being described by the formula:
- HAΣXia
- wherein:
- H defines the host material;
- A is a number representing the number of host atoms in the structure;
- X defines the ith impurity;
- and
- a defines the quantity of the ith impurity.
A bipolar cell formed from a supermolecular structure comprising:
- a host material;
- and
- impurities such that the positions of component atoms are substantially fixed, at least in part by controlled placement on a surface, to impart substantially predictable single-charge properties to the structure, the structure also being described by the formula:
- HAΣXia
- wherein:
- H defines the host material;
- A is a number representing the number of host atoms in the structure;
- X defines the ith impurity;
- and
- a defines the quantity of the ith impurity.
A semiconductor oscillator comprising:
- an insulating substrate;
- a single charge oscillator array disposed upon the insulating substrate, the single charge oscillator array further comprising a plurality of electrostatically coupled host structures comprising single-charge impurity atoms, each single-charge impurity atom have been positioned at least in part by controlled placement on a surface;
- contact electrodes connected to the array;
- and
- a thermal energy supply system for maintaining an operating temperature of the array at least as high as a threshold temperature;
- wherein the single-charge impurity atoms further comprise:
- a pair of atoms of a first type disposed so that a single atom of the pair resides at each of two opposing sides of the host structure;
- and
- a single atom of a second type disposed between the atoms of the first type within the host structure so that two asymmetrical potential wells, separated by a barrier, are formed within the host structure.
A single-dopant pn junction comprising:
- a host structure;
- a single donor atom disposed at a first side of the host structure;
- and
- a single acceptor atom disposed at a second side of the-host structure, the second side being opposite the first side, the single donor atom and single acceptor atom each having been positioned at least in part by controlled placement on a surface so that a single dipole is created within the host structure.
A single-dopant bipolar cell comprising:
- a host structure;
- a pair of atoms of a first type disposed so that a single atom of the pair resides at each of two opposing sides of the host structure;
- and
- a single atom of a second type disposed between the atoms of the first type within the host structure, each single atom having been positioned at least in part by controlled placement on a surface so that two asymmetrical potential wells, separated by a barrier, are formed within the host structure.
A semiconductor device comprising:
- an insulating substrate;
- a host structure disposed upon the insulating substrate;
- a pair of atoms of a first type disposed so that a single atom of the pair resides at each of two opposing sides of the host structure;
- a single atom of a second type disposed between the atoms of the first type within the host structure, each single atom having been positioned at least in part by controlled placement on a surface so that two asymmetrical potential wells, separated by a barrier, are formed within the host structure;
- and
- contact electrodes connected to the host structure.
A method of fabricating a single-dopant, bipolar cell on a substrate of a semiconductor material, the method comprising the steps of:
- placing a single three-atom set of dopants on the substrate;
- growing an epitaxial film of the semiconductor material over the set of dopants and the substrate;
- and
- passivating the cell with at least one monolayer.
A method of fabricating a plurality of single-dopant bipolar cells on a substrate of a semiconductor material, the method comprising the steps of:
- placing two or more single three-atom sets of dopants on the substrate;
- growing an epitaxial film of the semiconductor material over the sets of dopants and the semiconductor substrate;
- producing a pattern at the surface of the epitaxial film, the pattern defining a shape for the cells;
- and
- passivating the plurality of single-dopant bipolar cells with at least one monolayer.
A method of fabricating a single-dopant bipolar cell by forming a vertical, three-atom set of dopants, the cell being formed on a substrate of semiconductor material, the method comprising the steps of:
- placing a first atom of a first type on the substrate;
- growing a first epitaxial film of the semiconductor material over the first atom and the substrate;
- placing a single atom of a second type atop the first epitaxial film;
- growing a second epitaxial film of the semiconductor material over the single atom of the second type and the first epitaxial film;
- placing a second atom of the first type atop the second epitaxial film so that the three-atom set is formed;
- growing a third epitaxial film of the semiconductor material over the second atom of the first type and the second epitaxial film;
- and
- passivating the cell with at least one monolayer.
A method of fabricating an plurality of single-dopant bipolar cells by forming vertical, three-atom sets of dopants, the cells being formed on a substrate of semiconductor material, the method comprising the steps of:
- placing two or more first atoms of a first type on the substrate;
- growing a first epitaxial film of the semiconductor material over the first atoms of the first type and the substrate;
- placing a plurality of single atoms of a second type atop the first epitaxial film;
- growing a second epitaxial film of the semiconductor material over the single atoms of the second type and the first epitaxial film;
- placing a plurality of second atoms of the first type atop the second epitaxial film so that three-atom sets are formed;
- growing a third epitaxial film of the semiconductor material over the second atoms of the first type and the second epitaxial film;
- producing a pattern at the surface of the third epitaxial film, the pattern defining a shape for the cells;
- and
- passivating the plurality of single-dopant bipolar cells with at least one monolayer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.