US 6,946,693 B1Granted

Electromechanical electron transfer devices

AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

InventorsDominik V. Scheible, Robert H. Blick

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Abstract

An electron transfer device is implemented in a structure which is readily capable of achieving charge transfer cycle frequencies in the range of several hundred MHz or more and which can be formed by conventional semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing processes. The device includes a substrate having a horizontal extent and a pillar on the substrate extending from the substrate vertically with respect to the horizontal extent of the substrate. The pillar is formed to vibrate laterally with respect to the vertical length of the pillar at a resonant frequency which can be several hundred MHz. Drain and source electrodes extend from the substrate vertically with respect to the horizontal extent of the substrate, and have innermost ends on opposite sides of the pillar. The pillar is free to vibrate laterally back and forth between the innermost ends of the drain and source electrodes to transfer charge between the electrodes.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An electron transfer device comprising:

(a) a substrate having a horizontal extent;
(b) a pillar on the substrate extending from the substrate vertically with respect to the horizontal extent of the substrate, the pillar formed free to vibrate laterally with respect to the vertical length of the pillar and having a resonant frequency, the pillar including an electrical conductor;
and
(c) drain and source electrodes on the substrate extending from the substrate vertically with respect to the horizontal extent of the substrate, each of the source and drain electrodes having innermost ends thereof which are on opposite sides of the pillar and which are spaced from the pillar, each of the source and drain electrodes including an electrical conductor that is electrically insulated from the electrical conductor of the pillar and the electrical conductor of the other of the source and drain electrodes, the pillar being free to vibrate laterally back and forth between the innermost ends of the drain and source electrodes so as to bring the electrical conductor of the pillar alternately closer to one of the drain and source electrodes and then closer to the other of the drain and source electrodes as the pillar vibrates.

1 more element

An electron transfer device comprising:

(a) a substrate having a horizontal extent;
(b) a pillar on the substrate extending from the substrate vertically with respect to the horizontal extent of the substrate having a vertical height in the range of 100 nm to 2000 nm and horizontal dimensions in the range of 20 nm to 200 nm, the pillar formed free to vibrate laterally with respect to the vertical length of the pillar and having a resonant frequency, the pillar including an electrical conductor;
and
(c) drain and source electrodes on the substrate extending from the substrate vertically with respect to the horizontal extent of the substrate, each of the source and drain electrodes having innermost ends thereof which are on opposite sides of the pillar and which are spaced from the pillar a distance in the range of 5 nm to 50 nm, each of the source and drain electrodes including an electrical conductor that is electrically insulated from the electrical conductor of the pillar and the electrical conductor of the other of the source and drain electrodes, the pillar being free to vibrate laterally back and forth between the innermost ends of the drain and source electrodes so as to bring the electrical conductor of the pillar alternately closer to one of the drain and source electrodes and then closer to the other of the drain and source electrodes as the pillar vibrates.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.