Patent attributes
A multiple-gate transistor comprises a source, a drain spaced apart from the source, a semiconductor region disposed between the source and drain, and an insulating region disposed over the semiconductor region. A current control gate controls a magnitude of current flowing between the source and drain through the semiconductor region in dependence on a first electric field applied to the current control gate, and is separated from the source by the semiconductor region and the insulating region. A switching gate permits current to flow between the source and drain through the semiconductor region in dependence on a second electric field applied to the switching gate. The transistor's conduction state can be controlled by varying the second electric field applied to the switching gate, whilst varying the first electric field that is applied to the current control gate can set the magnitude of the current through the multiple-gate transistor.
