Patent ID: 7259437

Claim:
A spin-valve transistor comprising: an emitter, a base, and a collector, wherein the emitter being made of a semiconductor material, the base comprising three successive metal layers, the first layer and the third layer being ferromagnetic, the second layer not being ferromagnetic, the interface between the emitter and the layers of the base forming a Schottky diode, wherein the collector is metallic and separated from the base by a thin insulating layer of approximately a few nanometers, said layer forming a tunnel-effect barrier between the base and said collector, wherein the electrical voltage applied between the emitter and the base via the connection means and is greater than the potential barrier of the insulating layer, wherein a collector current is the sum and a tunnel current between the base and the collector means and the ballistic current from the emitter and the collector current has sufficient energy to pass through the base and the Schottky diode without relaxing.