Abstract: This invention discloses a novel method of manufacturing optical communications infrastructures that are implemented on a flat semiconductor wafer. This invention has the following characteristics which enable the efficient manufacturing of a combination of elements onto such a wafer: the inherent surface flatness, crystal purity and uniformity over a relatively large dimension for semiconductor wafers; the low cost and wide availability of such wafers; and the ability to combine several types of elements onto the wafer, on a very dense scale, and in a highly repeatable and mechanically aligned manner.

Abstract: A volatile/non-volatile integrated circuit memory cell combines a non-volatile cell (110) connected to a volatile cell (105) at a volatile node (118), in which data recall is effected through a DC-stable arrangement of transistor (142), (145) and (146) that does not employ a capacitor to hold down the storage node.