Several circuit applications of amorphous semiconductors

Abstract

The incorporation of amorphous semiconductor devices in several circuit applications is presented considering such aspects as linear amplification, ternary threshold logic, and clocked binary gates. The circuit descriptions are brief in favor of presenting the principles of operation. Detail design data are available from laboratory reports and published papers appropriately cited in the paper. Working laboratory models were “breadboarded” for each of the circuits, however, it is cautioned that a hand selection of devices was required. Furthermore, no attempt in optimization was made. It is believed that with modification, while retaining basic principles considerable improvement in circuit performance can be achieved. It may be that crystalline semiconductor devices would avail circuits usually simpler in concept and design than those which are described here. However, the virtues of the circuits discussed herein, lie in their novelty as an application of new circuit elements that may yield ideas for improving their methods of application or give insight into new methods of employing these devices.