One-time programmable, non-volatile field effect devices and methods of making same

• US 7,161,218 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nantero Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nantero Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertin, Claude L., Vogeli, Bernhard, Brock, Darren K., Segal, Brent M., Rueckes, Thomas, Jaiprakash, Venkatachalam C.
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON JR, JEROME
• Application Number:
  US10/864,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20050062062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 257/296, 257/415, 257/E27.016, 257/E27.103, 977/742
• US Class Current: 257/415
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/025 using fullerenes, e.g. C60, or nanotubes, e.g. carbon or silicon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/0416 comprising cells containing a single floating gate transistor and no select transistor, e.g. UV EPROM
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/16 using electrically-fusible links
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/165 Memory cells which are electrically programmed to cause a change in resistance, e.g. to permit multiple resistance steps to be programmed rather than conduct to or from non-conduct change of fuses and antifuses digital stores using resistance random access memory elements G11C13/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2213/16 Memory cell being a nanotube, e.g. suspended nanotube
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2213/17 Memory cell being a nanowire transistor
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2213/79 Array wherein the access device being a 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: G11C 7/065 Differential amplifiers of latching type
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0094 Switches making use of nanoelectromechanical systems [NEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0665 the shape of the body defining a nanostructure nanotechnology per se B82B
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0673 oriented parallel to a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/42324 Gate electrodes for transistors with a floating gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78 with field effect produced by an insulated gate H01L29/7725, H01L29/775, H01L29/778 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 20/00 Read-only memory [ROM] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 20/25 One-time programmable ROM [OTPROM] devices, e.g. using electrically-fusible links
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 69/00 Erasable-and-programmable ROM [EPROM] devices not provided for in groups H10B41/00 - H10B63/00, e.g. ultraviolet erasable-and-programmable ROM [UVEPROM] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/46 Field-effect transistors, e.g. organic thin-film transistors [OTFT] H10K10/43 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 19/20 : comprising components having an active region that includes an inorganic semiconductor
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/221 : Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/615 : Polycyclic condensed aromatic hydrocarbons, e.g. anthracene
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/708 : with distinct switching device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/724 : Devices having flexible or movable element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/742 : Carbon nanotubes, CNTs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/762 : Nanowire or quantum wire, i.e. axially elongated structure having two dimensions of 100 nm or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/936 : in a transistor or 3-terminal device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/938 : Field effect transistors, FETS, with nanowire- or nanotube-channel region
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/94 : in a logic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/943 : Information storage or retrieval using nanostructure

Abstract

One-time programmable, non-volatile field effect devices and methods of making same. Under one embodiment, a one-time-programmable, non-volatile field effect device includes a source, drain and gate with a field-modulatable channel between the source and drain. Each of the source, drain, and gate has a corresponding terminal. An electromechanically-deflectable, nanotube switching element is electrically coupled to one of the source, drain and gate and has an electromechanically-deflectable nanotube element that is positioned to be deflectable in response to electrical stimulation to form a non-volatile closed electrical state between the one of the source, drain and gate and its corresponding terminal.

Claims

1. A one-time-programmable, non-volatile field effect device, comprising:

a source, drain and gate with a field-modulatable channel between the source and drain, each of the source, drain, and gate having a corresponding terminal;

an electromechanically-deflectable, nanotube switching element electrically coupled to one of the source, drain and gate and having an electromechanically-deflectable nanotube element that is positioned to be deflectable in response to electrical stimulation to form an electrically conductive path between the one of the source, drain and gate and its corresponding terminal and thus to form a non-volatile closed electrical state between the one of the source, drain and gate and its corresponding terminal.