Transient devices designed to undergo programmable transformations

An actively triggered transient electronic device comprising:

• a substrate;
• one or more inorganic semiconductor components, one or more metallic conductor components or one or more inorganic semiconductor components and one or more metallic conductor components supported by said substrate;
• wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components independently comprise a selectively transformable material, wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components have a preselected transience profile in response to an external or internal stimulus;
• and
• an actuator responsive to a user initiated external trigger signal and operably connected to said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components, wherein upon said device receiving said external trigger signal said actuator directly or indirectly initiates at least partial transformation of said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components in response to said internal or external stimulus, thereby providing a programmable transformation of the actively triggered transient electronic device in response to said external trigger signal, wherein said programmable transformation provides a change in function of the actively triggered transient electronic device from a first condition to a second condition.

A method of using an actively triggered transient electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing the actively triggered transient electronic device comprising:
• a substrate;
• one or more inorganic semiconductor components, one or more metallic conductor components or one or more inorganic semiconductor components and one or more metallic conductor components supported by said substrate;
• wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components independently comprise a selectively transformable material, wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components have a preselected transience profile in response to an external or internal stimulus;
• and
• an actuator responsive to a user initiated external trigger signal and operably connected to said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components, wherein upon said device receiving said external trigger signal said actuator directly or indirectly initiates at least partial transformation of said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components in response to said internal or external stimulus, thereby providing a programmable transformation of the actively triggered transient electronic device in response to said external trigger signal, wherein said programmable transformation provides a change of the function of the actively triggered transient electronic device from a first condition to a second condition;
• and
• providing said user initiated external trigger signal to said electronic device, wherein said actuator directly or indirectly initiates at least partial transformation of said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components, thereby providing said programmable transformation.

A passive transient electronic device comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• one or more inorganic semiconductor components, one or more metallic conductor components or one or more inorganic semiconductor components and one or more metallic conductor components supported by said substrate;
• wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or one or more metallic conductor components independently comprise a selectively transformable material, wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components have a preselected transience profile in response to an external or internal stimulus;
• wherein at least partial transformation of said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components provides a programmable transformation of the passive transient electronic device in response to said external or internal stimulus and at a pre-selected time or at a pre-selected rate, wherein said programmable transformation provides a change in function of the passive transient electronic device from a first condition to a second condition.

A method of using a passive transient electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing the passive transient electronic device comprising:
• a substrate;
• one or more inorganic semiconductor components, one or more metallic conductor components or one or more inorganic semiconductor components and one or more metallic conductor components supported by said substrate;
• wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or one or more metallic conductor components independently comprise a selectively transformable material, wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components have a preselected transience profile in response to an external or internal stimulus;
• wherein at least partial transformation of said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components provides a programmable transformation of the passive transient electronic device in response to said external or internal stimulus and at a pre-selected time or at a pre-selected rate, wherein said programmable transformation provides a change of the function of the passive transient electronic device from a first condition to a second condition;
• exposing said passive transient electronic device to said external or internal stimulus, thereby programmably transforming said passive transient electronic device.

A method of making a transient electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a device substrate;
• providing on said device substrate one or more inorganic semiconductor components, one or more metallic conductor components or one or more inorganic semiconductor components and one or more metallic conductor components;
• wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or one or more metallic conductor components independently comprise a selectively transformable material, wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components have a preselected transience profile in response to an external or internal stimulus;
• thereby generating said transient electronic device;
• wherein at least partial transformation of said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components provides a programmable transformation of the passive transient electronic device in response to said external or internal stimulus and at a pre-selected time or at a pre-selected rate, wherein said programmable transformation provides a change in function of the passive transient electronic device from a first condition to a second condition.