Patent · US Expired

Integrated opto-electronic relay using a semiconductor with persistent photoconductivity and a matrix of such relays

US4412235A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
3References
7Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 12, 1981
Grant dateOct 25, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 12, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10F55/207
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Integrated opto-electronic relay of the type comprising a first semiconductor layer material having a persistent photoconductivity which is deposited on a major surface of an insulating substrate and is provided with two electrical contacts, a second semiconductor layer deposited on the opposite major surface of the insulating substrate provided with two electrical contacts and functioning as both an optical radiation source when forward biased and as a thermal radiation source when reversed biased, the radiation directed onto the first semiconductor layer to induce persistent photoconductivity in the first layer when optically exposed and to eliminate the conductivity when thermally exposed, and an enclosure enabling low temperature control of the first layer having persistent photoconductivity. The invention also relates to a switching matrix incorporating a plurality of these relays.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.