Integrated nanotube and field effect switching device

• US 20060061389A1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nantero Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nantero Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertin, Claude L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,288,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 326/104
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/025 using fullerenes, e.g. C60, or nanotubes, e.g. carbon or silicon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2213/17 Memory cell being a nanowire transistor
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 23/00 Digital stores characterised by movement of mechanical parts to effect storage, e.g. using balls; Storage elements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0094 Switches making use of nanoelectromechanical systems [NEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/545 using microengineered devices, e.g. field emission devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/08 using semiconductor devices H03K19/173 takes precedence; wherein the semiconductor devices are only diode rectifiers H03K19/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/70 Nanostructure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/94 in a logic circuit

Abstract

Hybrid switching devices integrate nanotube switching elements with field effect devices, such as NFETs and PFETs. A switching device forms and unforms a conductive channel from the signal input to the output subject to the relative state of the control input. In embodiments of the invention, the conductive channel includes a nanotube channel element and a field modulatable semiconductor channel element. The switching device may include a nanotube switching element and a field effect device electrically disposed in series. According to one aspect of the invention, an integrated switching device is a four-terminal device with a signal input terminal, a control input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal. The devices may be non-volatile. The devices can form the basis for a hybrid NT-FET logic family and can be used to implement any Boolean logic circuit.

Claims

1. An integrated switching device, comprising:

a signal input terminal;

an output terminal; and

a control structure including at least one control input terminal, electrical stimulation of said control structure controlling formation of a controllably-formable electrically conductive channel between the signal input terminal and the output terminal, a first portion of the electrically conductive channel including a nanotube channel element and a second portion of the electrically conductive channel including a field modulatable semiconductor channel element.

2. The integrated switching device of claim 1, wherein the integrated switching device is non-volatile.

3. The integrated switching device of claim 1, wherein the integrated switching device is volatile.

4. The integrated switching device of claim 1, wherein the field modulatable semiconductor channel is a p-channel.

5. The integrated switching device of claim 1, wherein the field effect modulatable semiconductor channel is an n-channel.

6. The integrated switching device of claim 1, wherein the signal input terminal is connected to a power supply.

7. The integrated switching device of claim 1, wherein the signal input terminal is grounded.

8. The integrated switching device of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the electrically conductive channel is electrically disposed between the signal input terminal and the second portion of the electrically conductive channel.

9. The integrated switching device of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the electrically conductive channel is electrically disposed between the first portion of the electrically conductive channel and the output terminal.

10. The integrated switching device of claim 1, an ON state being defined by at least one input signal to the control structure inducing formation of the electrically conductive channel, wherein the first portion and second portion of the electrically conductive channel are arranged to limit leakage currents when the integrated switching device is not in the ON state.

11. The integrated switching device of claim 1, wherein the integrated switching device is capable of driving a CMOS circuit connected to the output terminal.

12. The integrated switching device of claim 1, the control structure comprising a first control input terminal and a second control input terminal.

13. The integrated switching device of claim 12, wherein the device has only four terminals to control its operation.

14. The integrated switching device of claim 12, wherein the formation of the first portion of the electrically conductive channel is controlled by both the first and second control input terminals and the formation of the second portion of the electrically conductive channel is controlled by only the first control input terminal.

15. The integrated switching device of claim 12, wherein the signals received at the first control input terminal and the second control input terminal are complementary signals in a preferred mode of operation.

16. An integrated switching device, comprising:

a signal input terminal;

an output terminal;

a nanotube switching element, including a nanotube channel element formed of at least one nanotube, and a nanotube input electrode for providing a signal to the nanotube channel element, the nanotube input electrode being electrically connected to said signal input terminal, and a nanotube output electrode for receiving a signal from the nanotube channel element when the nanotube channel element is activated;

a field effect device having a source, a drain, and a gate, with a field modulatable channel between the source and the drain, the source being electrically connected to the output electrode of the nanotube switching element and the drain being electrically connected to said output terminal; and

a control structure comprising at least one control input terminal to control formation of a controllably-formable conductive channel between said signal input terminal and said output terminal, a first portion of the conductive channel being formed by the nanotube channel element of the nanotube switching element, and a second portion of the conductive channel being formed by the field modulatable channel of the field effect device.

17. The integrated switching device of claim 16, wherein the field effect device has an n-channel.

18. The integrated switching device of claim 17, wherein the signal input terminal is electrically connected to ground.

19. The integrated switching device of claim 16, wherein the field effect device has a p-channel.

20. The integrated switching device of claim 19, wherein the signal input terminal is electrically connected to a power supply.

21. The integrated switching device of claim 16, wherein the device is non-volatile.

22. The integrated switching device of claim 16, wherein the device is volatile.

23. The integrated switching device of claim 16, wherein the control structure interconnects the gate of said field effect device and a control electrode of the nanotube switching element to the same logical input.

24. An integrated switching device, comprising:

a signal input terminal;

an output terminal;

a network of at least one nanotube switching element electrically disposed between said signal input terminal and said output terminal;

a network of at least one field effect device electrically disposed between said signal input terminal and said output terminal, said network of at least one field effect device being electrically in series with said network of at least one nanotube switching element; and

a control structure to control formation of a controllably-formable conductive channel between said signal input terminal and said output terminal, a first portion of the conductive channel being provided by a conductive path formed by the network of at least one nanotube switching element and a second portion of the conductive channel being provided by a conductive path formed by the network of at least one field effect device.

25. The integrated switching device of claim 24, wherein said at least one field effect device has a p-channel.

26. The integrated switching device of claim 24, wherein said at least one field effect device has an n-channel.

27. The integrated switching device of claim 24, wherein said control structure includes a first control input terminal and a second control input terminal, and wherein the device has only four terminals to control its operation.

28. The integrated switching device of claim 24, wherein the device is non-volatile.

29. The integrated switching device of claim 24, wherein the device is volatile.

30. A Boolean logic circuit, comprising:

at least one input terminal and an output terminal;

a network of pull-up and pull-down circuits electrically disposed between the at least one input terminal and the output terminal;

each pull-up circuit including at least one nanotube switching element and at least one p-channel field effect device connected in series; and

each pull-down circuit including at least one nanotube switching element and at least one n-channel field effect device connected in series;

said network of pull-up and pull-down circuits effectuating a Boolean function transformation of Boolean signals applied to said at least one input terminal and providing the Boolean result on the output terminal.

31. The Boolean logic circuit of claim 30, wherein the circuit is non-volatile.

32. The Boolean logic circuit of claim 30, wherein the circuit is volatile.

33. The Boolean logic circuit of claim 30, wherein the circuit has two input terminals that are complementary.

34. The Boolean logic circuit of claim 30, wherein the circuit has two input terminals that are complementary and has two output terminals that are complementary.