Patent ID: 7280394

Claim:
A four-terminal field effect device, comprising: a source region and a drain region of a first semiconductor type and a channel region disposed therebetween of a second semiconductor type, the source region being connected to a corresponding source terminal, and the drain region having a corresponding drain terminal; a gate structure disposed over the channel region and connected to a corresponding gate terminal; a nanotube switching element, responsive to a control terminal, the nanotube switching element electrically positioned in series between the drain region and the drain terminal, the nanotube switching element being electromechanically operable in response to electrical state at each of the control, drain, source, and gate terminals to form one of an open and closed state, wherein the nanotube switching element is in electrical communication with one of the drain region and the drain terminal and is positioned relative to a contact feature in electrical communication with the other of the drain region and the drain terminal such that the nanotube switching element electrically contacts said contact feature in one of the open and closed states to thereby open or close an electrical communication path between the drain region and the drain terminal; wherein, when the nanotube switching element is in the open state, an electrical communication path between the source terminal and the drain terminal is open, and wherein, when the nanotube switching element is in the closed state, the device is responsive to electrical state at the gate terminal to form a closed electrical communication path between the source terminal and the drain terminal.