Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor switch geometry with electric field shaping

US5341017A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
9References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 9, 1993
Grant dateAug 23, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 9, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E10/50
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An optoelectric switch is disclosed that utilizes a cylindrically shaped and contoured GaAs medium or other optically active semiconductor medium to couple two cylindrically shaped metal conductors with flat and flared termination points each having an ovoid prominence centrally extending there from. Coupling the truncated ovoid prominence of each conductor with the cylindrically shaped optically active semiconductor causes the semiconductor to cylindrically taper to a triple junction circular line at the base of each prominence where the metal conductor conjoins with the semiconductor and a third medium such as epoxy or air. Tapering the semiconductor at the triple junction inhibits carrier formation and injection at the triple junction and thereby enables greater current carrying capacity through and greater sensitivity of the bulk area of the optically active medium.

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