The amount of current flowing in the bitline during reading of a memory cell which is in the conductive state, hereinafter called the memory cell current, can be amplified manifold by changing the above mentioned select transistors to a novel device which is described in detail. The increase of the area of the said memory arrays due to the replacement of said select transistor with the novel device is very small. In addition the novel device can be built within the pitch of said select transistor, which is the pitch of the bitline. The novel device can be used in many types of semiconductor memories, as described in the various embodiments. Static random access semiconductor memories can also benefit from the use of the novel devices.