Robert D Feeney

US Patent:

48206571, Apr 11, 1989

Filed:

May 26, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/053475

Inventors:

David W. Hughes - Chamblee GA
Robert K. Feeney - Doraville GA

Assignee:

Georgia Tech Research Corporation - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H01L 21326

US Classification:

437172

Abstract:

Method for altering an electrical characteristic of a circuit having at least one junction formed from a first and a second semiconductor material involves applying at least one pulse --a voltage pulse, a current pulse, an energy pulse, or a power pulse and so forth-- across the junction, the pulse having sufficient amplitude of one or more of its electrical parameters and time duration to alter the electrical characteristics of the junction, and thereby, the electrical characteristic of the circuit. The pulse is applied across the junction by applying it to at least one terminal or electrode which is contacted to the first or second semiconductor material. In addition, the amplitudes of the electrical parameters and time duration of the at least one pulse should be low enough to ensure that dendrites or filaments of material from the at least one electrode, for example, metal, are not formed in the first or second semiconductor material.

US Patent:

48747114, Oct 17, 1989

Filed:

Jan 19, 1988

Appl. No.:

7/145623

Inventors:

David W. Hughes - Chamblee GA
Robert K. Feeney - Doraville GA
David R. Hertling - Stone Mountain GA

Assignee:

Georgia Tech Research Corporation - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H01L 21326
H01L 2166

US Classification:

437 8

Abstract:

Method for altering an electrical characteristic of a circuit having at least one active semiconductor device involves applying at least one pulse--a voltage pulse, a current pulse, an energy pulse, or a power pulse and so forth--across the active semiconductor device, the pulse having sufficient amplitude of one or more of its electrical parameters and time duration to alter the electrical characteristics of the device, and thereby, the electrical characteristic of the circuit. The pulse is applied across the junction by applying it to at least one terminal or electrode which is contacted to semiconductor material disposed within the device. In a preferred embodiment of the inventive method, the amplitudes of the electrical parameters and the time duration of the at least one pulse should be high enough to ensure that dendrites or filaments of material from the electrode are formed in the semiconductor material of the active semiconductor device but whose dendrites or filaments are not of a geometry to cause a short cricuit to be formed between any pair of electrodes of the active semiconductor device.