Patent ID: 8013363

Claim:
A nonvolatile nanotube diode comprising: a substrate; a semiconductor element disposed over the substrate, wherein the semiconductor element comprises a cathode disposed over an anode and the semiconductor element is capable of forming an electrically conductive pathway between the anode and the cathode; a nanotube switching element disposed over the semiconductor element, wherein the nanotube switching element comprises a nanotube fabric element disposed over a conductive contact and the nanotube fabric element exhibits a plurality of resistance states in response to electrical stimuli; and a conductive terminal disposed over the nanotube switching element; wherein the nanotube fabric element is in electrical communication with the conductive contact and the conductive contact is in electrical communication with the cathode; wherein in response to electrical stimuli applied to the anode and the conductive terminal, the nonvolatile nanotube diode is capable of forming an electrically conductive pathway between the anode and the conductive terminal.