Inversion layer optical switch
US6586788B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 27, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jul 1, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 29, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F30/2823
Abstract
A method and system for control of light transmitted through a p-type semiconductor material, configured as part of a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure. A variable gate voltage is applied to generate a variable number of sub-band charge carriers near an insulator-semiconductor interface in the MIS structure. Where the gate voltage is lower than a threshold voltage, transmission of light propagating adjacent to and parallel to the interface is relatively high. As the gate voltage is increased to a value larger than the threshold voltage, the number of sub-band carriers raised to a first sub-band energy level increases approximately monotonically. If the light wavelength is selected to have an associated photon energy equal to an energy difference between a second sub-band (which may be the continuum) and the first sub-band, a variable portion of the light propagating in the semiconductor will be depleted in pumping the sub-band carriers from the first sub-band state to the second sub-band state, thus providing controllable attenuation of light that propagates through, and exits from, the MIS structure.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.