Nanoeletromechanical switch and logic circuits formed therefrom
| DWPI Title: Nanoelectromechanical switching device for use in dynamic RAM memory cell of digital logic circuit, has drain electrode located on substrate, and gate electrodes located on substrate |
| Abstract: A nanoelectromechanical (NEM) switch is formed on a substrate with a source electrode containing a suspended electrically-conductive beam which is anchored to the substrate at each end. This beam, which can be formed of ruthenium, bows laterally in response to a voltage applied between a pair of gate electrodes and the source electrode to form an electrical connection between the source electrode and a drain electrode located near a midpoint of the beam. Another pair of gate electrodes and another drain electrode can be located on an opposite side of the beam to allow for switching in an opposite direction. The NEM switch can be used to form digital logic circuits including NAND gates, NOR gates, programmable logic gates, and SRAM and DRAM memory cells which can be used in place of conventional CMOS circuits, or in combination therewith. |
| Use: Nanoelectromechanical switching device for use in a dynamic RAM memory cell of a digital logic circuit (all claimed). |
| Advantage: The device reduces dynamic power consumption and radiation hardness, improves the operation of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors, and reduces leakage current. The carbon fouling of contacting surfaces of the device is prevented, thus improving the reliability of the device. The device provides sharp turn-on and turn-off characteristics to reduce or eliminate the sub-threshold leakage power present with the transistors. |
| Novelty: The device (10) has a source electrode (14) equipped with an electrically-conductive beam. A drain electrode (16) is located on a substrate (12). A set of gate electrodes (18) is located on the substrate. The gate electrodes are located adjacent to the drain electrode on different side. The electrically-conductive beam forms electrical connection between the source electrode and the drain electrode, where the substrate is made of silicon, and the electrically-conductive beam is made of ruthenium metal. Ruthenium oxide coating is formed over a portion of the ruthenium metal. |
| Filed: 11/5/2008 |
| Application Number: US2008265200A |
| Tech ID: SD 11025.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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