Patent ID: 6204522
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: H01L,Y02E

Abstract:
A device having two terminals interconnected by material layers for switching between a current conducting state and a state blocking transport of charge carriers between said terminals upon application of a voltage thereacross, said material layers comprising a first layer made of intrinsic diamond and a second layer arranged next to the first layer, the device also comprising means for switching to said conducting state by providing free charge carriers in said second layer for transport through the first, diamond layer through said voltage and switching back to said blocking state by terminating the provision of said free charge carriers for said transport, said first diamond layer being adapted to take a major part of the voltage across said terminals in said blocking state, and wherein said second layer is of a material having a substantially smaller energy gap between the valence band and the conduction band than diamond, and said switching means causes said switching between the conducting the blocking state by generating free charge carriers only in the second layer for injection thereof into the first layer and by terminating said generation, respectively.