Patent ID: 7262430

Claim:
An organic photocurrent multiplication device having an AND operation function, comprising a device structure having two organic semiconductor layers, one deposited on each of both sides of an insulator thin layer to apply a voltage to both of the organic semiconductor layers via electrodes, wherein a thickness of the insulator thin layer is set to allow tunneling of carriers through the insulator thin layer, and the voltage is so set that the device takes one of two states as follows depending on how the organic semiconductor layers are irradiated with light while the voltage is applied to the device via said electrodes: when said two organic semiconductor layers are irradiated with lights simultaneously, state 1 is taken, in which electrons and holes in said organic semiconductor layers excited by the lights are respectively accumulated on opposite surfaces of said insulator thin layer depending on the voltage polarity, allowing a multiplied tunnel current to flow through the insulator thin layer due to a concentrated electric field generated in the insulator thin layer, and when only one of said two organic semiconductor layers is irradiated with a light or when neither of said organic semiconductor layers is irradiated with a light, state 2 is taken, in which said tunnel current does not flow.