Gate Controlled Atomic Switch

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a switch element. The invention is characterized in that the switch element comprises three electrodes that are located in an electrolyte, two of which (source electrode and drain electrode) are interconnected by a bridge consisting of one or more atoms that can be reversibly opened and closed. The opening and closing of said contact between the source and drain electrodes can be controlled by the potential that is applied to the third electrode (gate electrode). The switch element is produced by the repeated application of potential cycles between the gate electrode and the source or drain electrode. The potential is increased and reduced during the potential cycles until the conductance between the source and drain electrode can be switched back and forth between two conductances, as a result of said change in potential in the gate electrode, as a reproducible function of the voltage of the gate electrode.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A switching element comprising three electrodes: a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a gate electrode, said source electrode and said drain electrode being interconnected by means of a contact including a bridge made up of one or more atoms which can be reversibly opened and closed, the opening and closing of the contact between said source electrode and said drain electrode being controllable by an electrical potential applied to said gate electrode, said contact having an on-state and an off-state. 
     
     
         3 . A switching element according to  claim 2  and further including and wherein said bridge is formed of a movable cluster of metal atoms of up to 100 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The switching element of  claim 3  wherein said movable cluster of metal atoms includes two or more different metals. 
     
     
         5 . The switching element of  claim 2  wherein said one or more moveable atoms includes two or more different metals. 
     
     
         6 . The switching element of  claim 2  wherein said bridge is formed of two different metals. 
     
     
         7 . A switching element according to  claim 2  and further comprising an electrolyte. 
     
     
         8 . A switching element according to  claim 7  wherein said electrolyte is a liquid electrolyte. 
     
     
         9 . A switching element according to  claim 7  wherein said electrolyte is a gel electrolyte. 
     
     
         10 . A switching element according to  claim 2  and further comprising an ion conductor. 
     
     
         11 . A switching element according to  claim 2  and further comprising an ionic system having movable ions. 
     
     
         12 . A switching element according to  claim 6  wherein said ionic system is incorporated into a polymer. 
     
     
         13 . A switching element according to  claim 6  wherein said ionic system is incorporated into a porous system. 
     
     
         14 . A switching element according to  claim 2  and further comprising a polyanion having mobile cations. 
     
     
         15 . A switching element according to  claim 2  and further comprising a polycation having mobile anions. 
     
     
         16 . The switching element of  claim 2  wherein said bridge has a source-drain conductance value. 
     
     
         17 . The switching element of  claim 16  wherein said source-drain conductance value is switchable between a zero value and a non-zero value. 
     
     
         18 . The switching element of  claim 16  wherein said source-drain conductance value is switchable between two non-zero conductance values. 
     
     
         19 . The switching element of  claim 16  wherein said source-drain conductance value is switchable between levels which are interger multiples of the conductance quantum 2e 2 /h, where e is the electron charge and h is Planck's quantum. 
     
     
         20 . A switching element according to  claim 2  and wherein the switching element operates at room temperatures. 
     
     
         21 . A switching element according to  claim 2  and wherein the switching element operates at temperatures between −30° C. to 50° C. 
     
     
         22 . A switching element according to  claim 2  wherein said switching element is used as a transistor. 
     
     
         23 . A switching element according to  claim 2  wherein said switching element is used as an atomic relay. 
     
     
         24 . A switching element according to  claim 2  wherein said switching element is used in a logic switch for carrying out a logic operation. 
     
     
         25 . A switching element according to  claim 2  wherein said switching element is used as a data storage device. 
     
     
         26 . A switching element according to  claim 2  wherein said switching element is used as relay in connection with ultrahigh frequencies at least in the megahertz range. 
     
     
         27 . A switching element according to  claim 2  wherein said switching element is used as a conductance value standard. 
     
     
         28 . A switching element according to  claim 2  wherein said switching element is used as a resistor standard.