Resonant transmission semiconductor device and circuit including such a device.

摘要

A semiconductor device having a switching speed of the order of 10<-><1><2> seconds is formed in such a way that resonant quantum mechanical transmission of electric current can occur through a conduction channel (5) between a pair of highly doped electrode regions (2, 3) in a semiconductor substrate (1), Inner gate electrode means (7; 7A, 7B) lies over a central portion of the conduction channel (5) and is insulated from the surface layer (4) of the substrate. An outer gate electrode (8) extends completely over the conduction channel (5) and is insulated from both the conduction channel (5) and the inner gate electrode means (7; 7A, 7B). The form, size and disposition of the inner gate electrode means and the disposition of the outer gate electrode are such that by individually biasing the inner gate electrode means and the outer gate electrode with respect to the substrate a potential well is formed between two barriers so permitting resonant transmission of electric current through the conduction channel. The inner gate electrode means can be either a single electrode having a dimension of about 100 ANGSTROM or at least two closely spaced electrodes. The insulation between the gates and the channel region can be of the order of 100 ANGSTROM thick.