Method of making adaptive negative differential resistance device
AssigneeSynopsys, Inc.
InventorTsu-Jae King
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Abstract
A method of controlling a negative differential resistance (NDR) element is disclosed, which includes altering various NDR characteristics during operation to effectuate different NDR modes. By changing biasing conditions applied to the NDR element (such as a silicon based NDR FET) a peak-to-valley ratio (PVR) (or some other characteristic) can be modified dynamically to accommodate a desired operational change in a circuit that uses the NDR element. In a memory or logic application, for example, a valley current can be reduced during quiescent periods to reduce operating power. Thus an adaptive NDR element can be utilized advantageously within a conventional semiconductor circuit.
Claims12
A method of making a semiconductor circuit comprising the steps of:
- forming a silicon-based adaptive NDR device which can operate with a first current-voltage relationship during a first time period and a second current-voltage relationship during a second time period, wherein said first current-voltage relationship and said second current-voltage relationship are sufficiently different so as to permit said silicon based adaptive NDR device to have two distinct operational modes, including a first operational mode and a second operational mode respectively;
- and
- forming a control circuit for switching said silicon-based adaptive NDR device between said first operational mode and said second operational mode.
A semiconductor circuit comprising:
- an adaptive silicon-based NDR device which is adapted to operate with a first current-voltage relationship during a first time period and a second current-voltage relationship during a second time period, wherein said first current-voltage relationship and said second current-voltage relationship NDR characteristic are sufficiently different so as to permit said adaptive silicon based NDR device to have two distinct operational modes, including a first operational mode and a second operational mode respectively;
- and
- a control circuit for switching said adaptive silicon-based NDR device between said first operational mode and said second operational mode.
In a silicon-based negative differential resistance (NDR) device, the improvement comprising:
- the NDR device being configured to be self-adaptive such that a valley current decreases during a first time period to cause a corresponding increase in a peak-to-valley current ratio (PVR) during said first time period,
- wherein an external control signal is not required to modify said PVR for the NDR device, and wherein said PVR for the device is adjusted by controlling a switching speed for the device, such that a slower switching speed can be used to increase said PVR for the device.
In a silicon-based negative differential resistance (NDR) device, the improvement comprising:
- the NDR device being configured to be self-adaptive such that a valley current decreases during a first time period to cause a corresponding increase in a peak-to-valley current ratio (PVR) during said first time period;
- wherein an external control signal is not required to modify said PVR for the NDR device, and wherein said PVR for the device exceeds ten (10) during at least part of said first time period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.