Patent attributes
A rectifying junction (15) is formed in a conduction path provided in a material (1). A size of the material (1) is smaller than a threshold size in a first dimension, the threshold size being the size required for the material (1) to exhibit sufficient quantum confinement such that it forms a semiconductor. A surface of a first region (17) of the material (1) is arranged to decrease the bandgap of the material such that the first region is conducting. A surface of a second region (19) of the material (1) is arranged to preserve a bandgap such that the second region is semiconducting. The second region (19) is contiguous to the first region (17), such that a rectifying junction (15) is formed at a boundary (21) between the first region and the second region.
