Abstract: A superfine electronic device is disclosed, which is constructed by atomic fine lines having a structure in which a plurality of atoms are arranged on one or a plurality of straight lines, in a ring shape or on curves with a size of atomic level, and which includes elements for doping electrons and holes. Using these atomic fine lines, it is possible to integrate semiconductor elements utilizing pn junctions at an atomic level with a high density. A groove having a sufficiently small size is formed in an insulating film disposed on a substrate. Then, atoms or molecules are supplied on the substrate and in the groove, which and are heated to a temperature sufficiently high for moving the atoms or molecules during or after the supply thereof to form a quantum fine line at edge portions of the groove.

Abstract: In an atomic switch, opposite ends of an atom wire are connected to an input and output, and a switching gate is connected to a switching power supply. An input signal is outputted when a switching atom is connected to the atom wire, whereas an input signal is not outputted when the switching atom is moved to disconnect from the atom wire. There are provided an atom wire having a plurality of atoms arranged in a line or in a plurality of lines, in a ring shape, or in a curved line, and a switching gate made of an atom wire. The atom wire is switched by the field effect of the switching gate.

Abstract: An information storage apparatus in which one unit (or one bit) of information is stored by bringing a fine tip electrode with a tip portion of a dimension on the order of an inter-atomic distance (or several angstroms) in proximity to an atom on a flat surface of a material (for example, a semiconductor) with a gap on the order of an inter-atomic distance being provided between the tip electrode and the atom, and applying a voltage to the tip electrode so that the alignment of a dimer (or a pair of atoms) on the material surface in the vicinity of the tip electrode is changed by virtue of a tunnelling effect which is a quantum mechanical effect.

Abstract: A photoconductive device having a photoconductive layer which includes an amorphous semiconductor layer capable of charge multiplication in at least a part thereof is disclosed. The method of operating such a photoconductive device is also disclosed. By using the avalanche effect of the amorphous semiconductor layer, it is possible to realize a highly sensitive photoconductive device while maintaining low lag property. In one aspect of the present invention, the amorphous semiconductor layer is amorphous Se. In another aspect of the present invention, the amorphous semiconductor layer is composed mainly of tetrahedral elements including at least an element of hydrogen or halogens. When using the amorphous semiconductor layer composed mainly of tetrahedral elements, the charge multiplication effect is produced mainly in the interior of the amorphous semiconductor, and thus it is possible to obtain a thermally stable photoconductive device having a high sensitivity while keeping a good photoresponse.

Abstract: A semiconductor optical apparatus of the invention has a quantum well super-lattice structure essentially of only direct transition semiconductor or comprising a direct transition semiconductor and an indirect transiton semiconductor. In the semiconductor optical apparatus of the invention, by using an absorption saturation phenomenon of excitions in the direct transition semiconductor constructing the quantum well super-lattice structure, a non-volatile information recording apparatus which can record, reproduce, and erase information at a high speed even at the room temperature or even by irradiating a light of a low intensity is realized.

Abstract: A photoconductive device having a photoconductive layer which includes an amorphous semiconductor layer capable of charge multiplication in at least a part thereof is disclosed. The method of operating such a photoconductive device is also disclosed. By using the avalanche effect of the amorphous semiconductor layer, it is possible to realize a highly sensitive photoconductive device while maintaining low lag property.

Abstract: A photoconductive device having a photoconductive layer which includes an amorphous semiconductor layer capable of charge multiplication in at least a part thereof is disclosed. The method of operating such a photoconductive device is also disclosed. By using the avalanche effect of the amorphous semiconductor layer, it is possible to realize a highly sensitive photoconductive device while maintaining low lag property.

Abstract: A photosensor including a transparent electrode for transmitting incident light and a photoconductive layer receiving light from the transparent electrode for performing photoelectric conversion, is disclosed in which the photoconductive layer is made of amorphous silicon, the amorphous silicon contains 5 to 30 atomic percent hydrogen and is doped with at least one selected from elements belonging to the groups II and III in such a manner that a region remote from the transparent electrode is higher in the concentration of the selected element than another region proximate to the transparent electrode, and a voltage is applied across the photoconductive layer so that a surface of the photoconductive layer facing the transparent electrode is at a positive potential with respect to another surface of the photoconductive layer opposite to the surface facing the transparent electrode.

Abstract: A photoconductive target having an electrode and a P-type conductive layer mainly made of Se and making rectifying contact at an interface with the electrode, with at least Te being doped in a portion of the P-type conductive layer. At least one metal fluoride forming shallow levels is doped in the region where the signal current is generated for the most part of the P-type conductive layer with an average concentration of not less than 50 ppm and not more than 5% by weight. The metal fluoride is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of LiF, NaF, MgF.sub.2, CaF.sub.2, BaF.sub.2, AlF.sub.3, CrF.sub.3, MnF.sub.2, CoF.sub.2, PbF.sub.2, CeF.sub.3 and TlF. The high light sticking of the photoconductive target can thus be considerably reduced.