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US 12,689,363 B2Granted
Fast latching switches
AssigneesLawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, Opcondys, Inc.
InventorsStephen E. Sampayan, Kristin Cortella Sampayan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Devices, methods and techniques related to ultrafast latching switches are disclosed. In one example aspect, a device includes a photoconductive switch and a non-mechanical latching switch configured to maintain a state after the state is activated. The non-mechanical latching switch is coupled to the photoconductive switch. The non-mechanical latching switch is configured to be triggered to switch to an opposite state upon an activation of the photoconductive switch.
Claims20
A device, comprising:
- a photoconductive switch including a wide bandgap material positioned to receive an optical signal, the wide bandgap material doped with a dopant to form a mid-gap state within a bandgap of the wide bandgap material to achieve an enhanced rise time when excited by the optical signal;
- and
- a non-mechanical latching switch configured to maintain a state after the state is activated, the photoconductive switch coupled to the non-mechanical latching switch,
- wherein the non-mechanical latching switch is configured to be triggered to switch to an opposite state upon an activation of the photoconductive switch.
1 more element
A method for switching a non-mechanical latching device, comprising:
- activating the non-mechanical latching device to operate in a first state, wherein the non-mechanical latching device is configured to maintain the first state after the first state is activated, wherein the non-mechanical latching device is coupled to a photoconductive switch in a circuit;
- and
- switching the non-mechanical latching device to a second state by providing an optical signal to the photoconductive switch to activate the photoconductive switch, wherein the photoconductive switch has a wide bandgap material, the wide bandgap material being doped with a dopant to create a mid-gap state within a bandgap of the wide bandgap material to achieve an enhanced rise time when the photoconductive switch is excited by the optical signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.