1. A memory device comprising:
a first transistor including a first channel formation region;
a second transistor including a second channel formation region;
a third transistor including a third channel formation region;
a fourth transistor including a fourth channel formation region;
a first line;
a second line;
a third line;
a fourth line;
a fifth line;
a sixth line; and
a seventh line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the third line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the fourth line,
wherein a gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to the fifth line,
wherein a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to the sixth line,
wherein a gate of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the seventh line,
wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor so that a node is formed,
wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor,
wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the fourth transistor,
wherein the first channel formation region includes a semiconductor material that is different from a semiconductor material in the second channel formation region, the third channel formation region and the fourth channel formation region, and
wherein the first channel formation region includes an oxide semiconductor.
2. The memory device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a capacitor; and
an eighth line;
wherein one electrode of the capacitor is electrically connected to the node, and
wherein the other electrode of the capacitor is electrically connected to the eighth line.
3. The memory device according to claim 1,
wherein the memory device is configured to store electric charge in the node when the first transistor is in an off state,
4. The memory device according to claim 1,
wherein the second channel formation region, the third channel formation region and the fourth channel formation region contain single crystal silicon.
5. The memory device according to claim 2,
wherein the first line is a write data line,
wherein the second line is a first power supply line,
wherein the third line is a first read data line,
wherein the fourth line is a second read data line,
wherein the fifth line is a write selection line,
wherein the sixth line is a first read selection line,
wherein the seventh line is a second read selection line, and
wherein the eighth line is a second power supply line.
6. A semiconductor device comprising the memory device according to claim 1, the semiconductor device further comprising:
a first processor;
a second processor; and
a selector,
wherein the first processor is configured to write data to the memory device using the fifth line and the first line through the selector at a first timing,
wherein the second processor is configured to write data to the memory device using the fifth line and the first line through the selector at a second timing that is different from the first timing,
wherein the first processor is configured to read data of the memory device using the sixth line and the third line, and
wherein the second processor is configured to read data of the memory device using the seventh line and the fourth line.
7. The memory device according to claim 1,
wherein the first channel formation region contains indium, gallium and zinc.
8. An electric device comprising the memory device according to claim 1.
9. A memory device comprising:
a first transistor including a first channel formation region;
a second transistor including a second channel formation region;
a third transistor including a third channel formation region;
a fourth transistor including a fourth channel formation region;
a fifth transistor including a fifth channel formation region;
a first line;
a second line;
a third line;
a fourth line;
a fifth line;
a sixth line;
a seventh line;
an eighth line; and
a ninth line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the third line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the fourth line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to the eighth line,
wherein a gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to the fifth line,
wherein a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to the sixth line,
wherein a gate of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the seventh line,
wherein a gate of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to the ninth line,
wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor and the other of the source and the drain of the fifth transistor are electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor so that a node is formed,
wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor,
wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the fourth transistor,
wherein the first channel formation region includes a semiconductor material different from a semiconductor material in the second channel formation region, the third channel formation region and the fourth channel formation region,
wherein the first channel formation region includes an oxide semiconductor, and
wherein the fifth channel formation region includes an oxide semiconductor.
10. The memory device according to claim 9, further comprising:
a capacitor; and
a tenth line;
wherein one electrode of the capacitor is electrically connected to the node, and
wherein the other electrode of the capacitor is electrically connected to the tenth line.
11. The memory device according to claim 9,
wherein the memory device is configured to store electric charge in the node when the first transistor and the fifth transistor are in an off state.
12. The memory device according to claim 9,
wherein the second channel formation region, the third channel formation region and the fourth channel formation region contain single crystal silicon.
13. The memory device according to claim 10,
wherein the first line is a first write data line,
wherein the second line is a first power supply line,
wherein the third line is a first read data line,
wherein the fourth line is a second read data line,
wherein the fifth line is a first write selection line,
wherein the sixth line is a first read selection line,
wherein the seventh line is a second read selection line,
wherein the eighth line is a second write data line,
wherein the ninth line is a second write selection line, and
wherein the tenth line is a second power supply line.
14. A semiconductor device comprising the memory device according to claim 9, the semiconductor device further comprising:
a first processor; and
a second processor;
wherein the first processor is configured to write data to the memory device using the fifth line and the first line,
wherein the second processor is configured to write data to the memory device using the eighth line and the ninth line,
wherein the first processor is configured to read data of the memory device using the sixth line and the third line, and
wherein the second processor is configured to read data of the memory device using the seventh line and the fourth line.
15. The memory device according to claim 9,
wherein the first channel formation region contains indium, gallium and zinc, and
wherein the fifth channel formation region contains indium, gallium and zinc.
16. An electric device comprising the memory device according to claim 9.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of generating hydrogen and oxygen gas, comprising steps of: injecting water molecules into a plasma to dissociate the molecules into a hydrogen species and an oxygen species, separating the hydrogen species from the oxygen species within the plasma, and removing each of the oxygen species and the hydrogen species from the plasma so that the hydrogen species forms gaseous hydrogen and the oxygen species forms gaseous oxygen.
2. A method of generating hydrogen and oxygen gas, comprising steps of: generating a plasma in the microwave frequency segment of the electromagnetic spectrum, injecting water molecules into the plasma to dissociate the molecules into a hydrogen species and an oxygen species, separating the hydrogen species from the oxygen species within the plasma, and removing each of the oxygen species and the hydrogen species from the plasma so that the hydrogen species form gaseous hydrogen and the oxygen species form gaseous oxygen.
3. A method of generating hydrogen and oxygen gas, comprising steps of: generating a plasma in the radio frequency segment of the electromagnetic spectrum, injecting water molecules into the plasma to dissociate the molecules into a hydrogen species and an oxygen species, separating the hydrogen species from the oxygen species within the plasma, and removing each of the oxygen species and the hydrogen species from the plasma so that the hydrogen species form gaseous hydrogen and the oxygen species form gaseous oxygen.
4. A method of generating hydrogen and oxygen gas, comprising steps of: generating a plasma from low frequency electromagnetic waves, injecting water molecules into the plasma to dissociate the molecules into a hydrogen species and an oxygen species, separating the hydrogen species from the oxygen species within the plasma, and removing each of the oxygen species and the hydrogen species from the plasma so that the hydrogen species form gaseous hydrogen and the oxygen species form gaseous oxygen.
5. A method of generating hydrogen and oxygen gas, comprising steps of: generating a plasma from an arc discharge, injecting water molecules into the plasma to dissociate the molecules into a hydrogen species and an oxygen species, separating the hydrogen species from the oxygen species within the plasma, and removing each of the oxygen species and the hydrogen species from the plasma so that the hydrogen species form gaseous hydrogen and the oxygen species form gaseous oxygen.
6. The method of claim 1 including the step of developing an electromagnetic field from a source of electrical energy to define a plasma reaction zone, with the water molecules being injected into the plasma reaction zone.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the electrical energy is developed from at least one of the following: solar energy, hydroelectric energy and geothermal energy.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the electrical energy is developed from a hydroelectric source, and at least a portion of water used by the hydroelectric source is recovered for use as the water molecules which are injected into the plasma.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein the electrical energy is developed from a geothermal source in which water vapor is emitted, and at least a portion of the emitted water vapor is recovered for use as the water molecules which are injected into the plasma.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of recovering waste steam to provide the injected water molecules.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein a gas is injected into the plasma concurrently with the water molecules.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein air is also injected into the plasma.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein nitrogen is also injected into the plasma.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein an inert gas is also injected into the plasma.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the inert gas injected into the plasma is selected from the group consisting of xenon, neon, krypton, helium, argon, and combinations thereof.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein steam is also injected into the plasma.
17. A method of generating hydrogen and oxygen gas, comprising steps of: injecting water molecules into a plasma to dissociate the molecules into a hydrogen species and an oxygen species, separating the hydrogen species from the oxygen species by passing the hydrogen species through a porous membrane having a plurality of pores with a diameter larger than the hydrogen species and smaller than the oxygen species such that only the hydrogen species can permeate through the membrane, and removing the oxygen species and the hydrogen species from the plasma so that the hydrogen species form gaseous hydrogen and the oxygen species form gaseous oxygen.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the porous membrane is formed as a tube which is disposed within a nonporous tube with a reaction zone being formed between the tubes, and the water molecules are injected into the reaction zone from a first end of the nonporous tube.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the hydrogen species is passed through a plurality of membranes.
20. The method of claim 17 wherein the membrane is electrically biased.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein the membrane is biased by applying a DC voltage to the membrane.
22. The method of claim 20 wherein the membrane is biased by applying an AC voltage to the membrane.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the membrane is biased by applying a high frequency voltage to the membrane.
24. A method of generating hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, comprising steps of: injecting water molecules into a plasma to dissociate the molecules into a hydrogen species and an oxygen species, separating the hydrogen species from the oxygen species within the plasma by pumping the oxygen species and the hydrogen species through a converging diverging nozzle to form an exit beam wherein the oxygen species emerges from the nozzle substantially along a core of the beam and the hydrogen species migrates outwardly of the beam, and removing each of the hydrogen species and the oxygen species from the plasma so that the hydrogen species forms gaseous hydrogen and the oxygen species forms gaseous oxygen.
25. A method as set forth in claim 24 wherein the converging diverging nozzle is a Laval nozzle.
26. The method of claim 1 wherein including the step of quenching of the oxygen species and the hydrogen species upon exiting the plasma to prevent recombination thereof.
27. A method a set forth in claim 26 wherein the species are quenched by pumping the oxygen species and the hydrogen species through an expansion nozzle prior to quenching.
28. The method of claim 1 including the step of developing an electrical potential across the plasma, with the potential interacting with different electrical potentials of the hydrogen species and the oxygen species to effect separation.
29. The method of claim 1 including the step of developing a magnetic field across the plasma with the field interacting with different magnetic moments of the hydrogen species and the oxygen species to effect separation.
30. The method of claim 29 including the step of developing an electrical potential across the plasma, with the potential interacting with different electrical potentials of the hydrogen species and the oxygen species to effect separation.
31. The method of claim 1 including the step of introducing a catalyst into the plasma to effect termination of the active species in the hydrogen species and the oxygen species.
32. The method of claim 1 including the step of introducing a homogenous reactant into the plasma to react with the oxygen species to prevent recombination of the oxygen species with the hydrogen species.
33. The method of claim 32 including the step of introducing carbon monoxide such that an OH intermediate combines with the carbon monoxide and results in the production of hydrogen atoms and carbon dioxide.
34. The method of claim 1 wherein a sacrificial component is introduced into the plasma to react with the oxygen species to prevent recombination of the oxygen species with the hydrogen species.
35. The method of claim 34 including the step of introducing carbon such that an OH intermediate combines with the carbon and results in the production hydrogen atoms and carbon monoxide.
36. The method of claim 1 wherein an atomic or molecular component is introduced into the plasma concurrently with the water molecules to inhibit recombination of the oxygen species and the hydrogen species.
37. The method of claim 36 wherein iodine is introduced into the plasma.
38. The method of claim 1 wherein a cryothermic gas selected to be non-reactive with one of the oxygen species and the hydrogen species is introduced into the plasma to shock cool the oxygen species and the hydrogen species to prevent recombination thereof.
39. The method of claim 1 including the steps of recovering energy from the plasma and converting the recovered energy to a useful form.
40. The method of claim 39 wherein the energy is recovered by inducing electrical current in electromagnets placed about the plasma from the electro-magnetic energy of the plasma.
41. The method of claim 39 wherein the energy is recovered by placing a heat exchanger in proximity to the plasma to recover heat energy therefrom.
42. The method of claim 39 wherein the energy is recovered by placing a heat pipe within the plasma to recover heat energy therefrom.
43. The method of claim 39 wherein energy is recovered by placing solar cells in proximity to the plasma to recover light energy therefrom.
44. The method of claim 39 wherein energy is recovered by placing a thermoelectric device in proximity to the plasma to recover electrical energy therefrom.
45. The method of claim 39 wherein energy is recovered by placing a thermoionic device in proximity to the plasma to recover electrical energy therefrom.
46. The method of claim 1 including the steps of injecting the water molecules into a first stream and injecting an inert gas into a second stream, with an angle ranging from 0\xb0 to 180\xb0 between the streams.
47. The method of claim 1 wherein the plasma is a pulsed plasma.
48. The method of claim 1 wherein the plasma is an oscillating plasma having a controlled frequency.
49. The method of claim 1 wherein the plasma is an oscillating plasma having a variable frequency.
50. The method of claim 1 wherein the plasma is developed at a pressure between 1 mtorr and 1000 atmospheres.
51. The method of claim 1 wherein the plasma is developed at a temperature between 5\xb0 C. and 20,000\xb0 K.
52. A method of generating hydrogen and oxygen gas, comprising steps of: generating a plasma at a frequency between 50 Hz and 100 gHz, injecting water molecules into the plasma to dissociate the molecules into a hydrogen species and an oxygen species, separating the hydrogen species from the oxygen species within the plasma, and removing each of the oxygen species and the hydrogen species from the plasma so that the hydrogen species form gaseous hydrogen and the oxygen species form gaseous oxygen.
53. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of introducing a seed material into the plasma to lower the temperature of the plasma.
54. The method of claim 53 wherein the seed material is selected from the group consisting of CsCO2, CsCl, K2CO3, KOH, KCl, NaCl, NaOH and Na2CO3.
55. The method of claim 53 wherein the seed material is selected from the group consisting of alkali and alkaline earth metals.
56. The method of claim 53 wherein the seed material is mercury.
57. The method of claim 1 including the step of introducing a catalyst into the plasma to terminate the oxygen species and the hydrogen species and to redirect the oxygen species and the hydrogen species to molecular hydrogen and molecular oxygen.
58. The method of claim 57 wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of silica gel, platinum, salts and metals, zinc chromite, metal oxides, argon, xenon, and other inert gases.
59. A method of generating hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, comprising steps of: injecting water molecules into a plasma to dissociate the molecules into a hydrogen species and an oxygen species, separating the hydrogen species from the oxygen species within the plasma, introducing a silica gel catalyst into the plasma to terminate the dissociation of the water molecules and to redirect the oxygen species and the hydrogen species to molecular hydrogen and molecular oxygen, and removing the molecular hydrogen and the molecular oxygen.
60. A method of generating hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, comprising steps of: injecting water molecules into a plasma to dissociate the molecules into a hydrogen species and an oxygen species, injecting nitrogen into the plasma concurrently with the water molecules such that nitric oxide is formed as a byproduct; separating the hydrogen species from the oxygen species within the plasma, removing each of the hydrogen species and the oxygen species from the plasma so that the hydrogen species forms gaseous hydrogen and the oxygen species forms gaseous oxygen, and injecting an acid post plasma such that the nitric oxide reacts with the acid to form a salt, thereby releasing molecular hydrogen.
61. The method of claim 60 wherein the acid is phosphoric acid.