Atomic scale electronic switch

• US 5,323,376 A
• Filed: 07/27/1992
• Issued: 06/21/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Eigler, Donald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, DON KITSUN
• Application Number:
  US07/918,752
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 369/126, 369/101, 365/151, 250/306, 250/492.3, 307/112, 307/127
• US Class Current: 369/126
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 11/002 using recording by perturbation of the physical or electrical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 9/14 using microscopic probe means , i.e. recording or reproducing by means directly associated with the tip of a microscopic electrical probe as used in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy [STM] or Atomic Force Microscopy [AFM] for inducing physical or electrical perturbations in a recording medium; Record carriers or media specially adapted for such transducing of information marking using electrical current B41M5/20; measuring roughness or irregularity of surfaces G01B7/34; details of scanning-probe microscopes G01Q
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 9/1463 Record carriers for recording or reproduction involving the use of microscopic probe means
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5664 using organic memory material storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0014 comprising cells based on organic memory material
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/02 using elements whose operation depends upon chemical change G11C13/0009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/025 using fullerenes, e.g. C60, or nanotubes, e.g. carbon or silicon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/04 using optical elements ; using other beam accessed elements, e.g. electron or ion beam
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/51 characterised by the components used H03K17/04 - H03K17/30, H03K17/94 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/545 using microengineered devices, e.g. field emission devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/02 using specified components H03K19/0005 - H03K19/0021, H03K19/003 - H03K19/0175 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/936 in a transistor or 3-terminal device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/947 with scanning probe instrument

Abstract

The present invention relates to an atomic scale electronic switch; wherein the position of one or more atoms or molecules is or are varied to control the state of the switch. The switch includes a plurality of fixed terminals approximately separated less than 100 Å. Controlling the state of the switch is accomplished by applying a voltage or current to the terminals, thereby moving at least one atoms toward a desired terminal.

Claims

1. An electronic switch comprising:

(a) two fixed terminals spaced apart less than 100 Å

;

(b) an atom switching element having at least a first and second state; and

(c) means for reversibly changing the state of said atom switching element between the first state and the second state.

2. The switch of claim 1 wherein said switch further comprises means for determining the state of the atom switching element.

3. The switch of claim 1 wherein said means for reversibly changing the state is means for reversibly moving said atom switching element between a first position and a second position.

4. An electronic switch comprising:

(a) two fixed terminals spaced apart less than 100 Å

;

(b) an atom switching element having at least a first and second state and

(c) means for reversibly changing the state of said atom switching element between the first state and the second state, said first state having a different conductance condition between said terminals than said second state.

5. The switch of claim 4 wherein said means for reversibly changing the state controls the reversible movement of said atom switching element between a first position on one of said terminals and a second position on the other of said terminals.

6. The switch of claim 5, wherein said means includes means for applying a voltage or current to effect movement of the atom switching element.

7. An electronic switch comprising

(a) a plurality of fixed terminals spaced apart less than 100 Å

;

(b) an atom switching element between the terminals; and

(c) means for applying a voltage or current pulse of appropriate polarity and magnitude between selectable ones of said terminals for causing said switching element to reversibly move between said selectable terminals for correspondingly changing the switch from one state to another state.

8. A memory cell comprising:

(a) two fixed terminals spaced apart less than 100 Å

;

(b) an atom switching element having at least a first and second state;

(c) means for determining the state of the atom switching element; and

(d) means for reversibly changing the state of said atom switching element between the first state and the second state.

9. The cell of claim 8 wherein said means for reversibly changing the state is means for reversibly moving said atom switching element between a first position and a second position.

10. A memory cell comprising

(a) two fixed terminals spaced apart less than 100 Å

,

(b) an atom switching element having at least a first and second state and

(c) means for reversibly changing the state of said atom switching element between the first state and the second state, said first state having a different conductance condition between said terminals than said second state.

11. The cell of claim 10 wherein said means for reversibly changing the state controls the reversible movement of said atom switching element between a first position on one of said terminals and a second position on the other of said terminals.

12. The cell of claim 11, wherein said means includes means for applying a voltage to effect movement of the atom switching elements.

13. The cell of claim 11, wherein said means includes means for applying a current to effect movement of the atom switching element.

14. A logic circuit comprising:

(a) two fixed terminals spaced apart less than 100 Å

;

(b) an atom switching element having at least a first and second state;

(c) means for determining the state of the atom switching element; and

(d) means for reversibly changing the state of said atom switching element between the first state and the second state.

15. The circuit of claim 14 wherein said means for reversibly changing the state is means for reversibly moving said atom switching element between a first position and a second position.

16. A logic circuit comprising:

(a) two fixed terminals spaced apart less than 100 Å

;

(b) an atom switching element having at least a first and second state and

(c) means for reversibly change the state of said atom switching element between the first state and the second state, said first state having a different conductance condition between said terminals than said second state.

17. The circuit of claim 16 wherein said means for reversibly changing the state controls the reversible movement of said atom switching element between a first position on one of said terminals and a second position on the other of said terminals.

18. The circuit of claim 17, wherein said means includes means for applying a voltage or current to effect movement of the atom switching element.