EP0162529A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Amorphous or microcrystalline semiconductor memory device
Assignee: BP PLC
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Filing: 1985-01-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-01-03
Abstract
Abstract ] A semiconductor structure suitable for making a non-volatile memory comprises an electrically conducting substrate, at least two layers of different conductivity type selected from i, p and n-type amorphous or microcrystalline semiconducting material and an additional defect layer of amorphous or microcrystalline semiconductor material located between two of the said different layers. The defect layer reduced the voltage required to transform the structure to a memory device.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter John Hockley
- 👤 Michael John Thwaites
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 22:38
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D48/00; H10D48/30; H10D48/38; H10D48/381; H10D8/00; H10D8/50; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2922; H10P14/2923; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3204; H10P14/3211; H10P14/3242; H10P14/3244; H10P14/3251; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
47 words
A semiconductor structure which comprises an electrically conducting substrate, at least two layers of different conductivity types selected from i, p, and n-type amorphous or microcrystalline semiconducting material and an additional d-type layer of amorphous or microcrystalline semiconducting material located between two of the said different layers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
47 words
A semiconductor structure which comprises an electrically conducting substrate, at least two layers of different conductivity types selected from i, p, and n-type amorphous or microcrystalline semiconducting material and an additional d-type layer of amorphous or microcrystalline semiconducting material located between two of the said different layers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A structure according to claim 1 wherein the semiconductor material consists essentially of elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
A structure according to claim 2 wherein the semiconductor material is silicon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A structure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the d-layer has an average thickness of 5 to 12 A.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A structure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the total thickness of the structure across which the forming voltage o is applied is less than 5000 A.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device according to claim 5 wherein the total thickness of the structure across which the forming voltage is applied is less than 2000 A.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
54 words
A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the d-layer is formed from material which, when present as a layer of c average thickness not greater than 12 A, gives a device with forming voltage not more than 60% of the forming voltage of an otherwise identical device without the d-layer.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
31 words
A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the d-layer is made by depositing amorphous silicon using a glow discharge at a substrate temperature of less than 150°C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A memory device made by subjecting a structure according to any one of the preceding claims to a forming voltage below 15 volts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A memory device according to claim 9 wherein the forming voltage is below 10 volts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR2463508A1
Cited
EP0095283A2
Cited
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