VARIABLE BREAKDOWN STORAGE CELL WITH NEGATIVE RESISTANCE OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC

摘要

This application discloses a storage cell which employs a single gated multi-emitter semiconductor device that exhibits a negative resistance operating characteristic. The semiconductor device is biased to have two stable operating states on this negative resistance characteristic and is addressed by a word line connected to one of its emitters and a bit line connected to the other of its emitters. A parasitic transistor is formed by the two emitters and the gating layer of the semiconductor device. By application of half-select pulses to the word and bit lines, the parasitic transistor is broken down to cause a temporary current flow in the gating region of the semiconductor device. While this current flows in the gating region, the operating characteristic of the semiconductor device is changed so that there is only one stable operating state for the semiconductor device. The operation of the semiconductor device therefore shifts to this single operating state. When the temporary current flow ends the semiconductor device will be in a low voltage, high current stable state along the negative resistance characteristic irrespective of the operating state of the semiconductor device prior to the application of the half select pulses. When such a storage cell is manufactured in monolithic form, very high cell densities and extremely high operating speeds are obtainable.