Acousto-electric signal convolver, correlator and memory

An acousto-electric memory for providing a memory signal in response to a write pulse, said reference signal comprising:

• piezoelectric means for providing an electric field in relation to an acoustic wave;
• a first transducer mounted on said piezoelectric means for providing a reference acoustic wave on the surface of said piezoelectric means in response to said reference signal;
• a ground electrode attached to said piezoelectric means such that the electric field of the piezoelectric means is relative to ground potential;
• semiconductor means including a first material of one semiconductivity type, and a second material of opposite semiconductivity type to form a matrix of PN junctions, said semiconductor means being responsive to the write pulse and to the electric field of said piezoelectric means to form at the termination of the write pulse in said first material a space-charge region corresponding to the reference acoustic wave;
• and
• a metallic electrode overlying the surface of said first semiconductor material that is oppositely disposed from the PN junction matrix for applying said write pulse to said semiconductor means.

An acousto-electric correlator that is responsive to a write pulse, a reference signal and an input signal for providing the correlation of the reference signal and the input signal, said correlator comprising:

• piezoelectric means for providing an electric field in relation to an acoustic wave;
• a reference signal transducer mounted on said piezoelectric means for applying acoustic waves on the surface of said piezoelectric means in response to the reference and input signals;
• semiconductor means including a first semiconductor material of one semiconductivity type and a second semiconductor material of the opposite semiconductivity type to form a matrix of PN junctions, said semiconductor means being responsive to the write pulse and to the electric field of said piezoelectric means to form a space-charge region in said first semiconductor material corresponding to the reference signal, and
• a metallic electrode attached to said first semiconductor material that is oppositely disposed from the PN junction matrix, said electrode providing a correlation signal in response to the space-charge region of the first semiconductor material in combination with the electric field of the acoustic wave generated by said reference transducer in response to the input signal.

An acousto-electric device for processing and storing a reference signal in response to a write signal, comprising:

• a piezoelectric body capable of propagating acoustic wave signals on one surface thereof in response to a reference signal,
• a semiconductor device having one surface spaced a predetermined distance from said one surface of the piezoelectric body, said semiconductor including a layer of one semiconductivity type and a material of the opposite semiconductivity type to form a matrix of PN junctions opposing the said one surface of the piezoelectric body,
• a metallic electrode overlying the opposite surface of the semiconductor device to provide a signal for the semiconductor device in response to the write signal, and
• transducer means for applying a reference acoustic wave to the piezoelectric body in response to the reference signal.

An acousto-elecric device for storing a reference signal in relation to a write pulse, said device comprising:

• piezoelectric means for providing an electric field in relation to an acoustic wave;
• a first electrode array for providing a current in relation to the electric field of said piezoelectric means;
• electrical conductors for transferring the current provided by said first electrode array;
• a second electrode array for applying an electric field in relation to the current transferred by said conductor;
• and
• semiconductor means for providing a space-charge region in relation to said write pulse and in relation to said electric field of said second electrode array.

An acousto-electric device for storing a reference signal in relation to a write pulse, said device comprising:

• piezoelectric means for providing an electric field in relation to an acoustic wave;
• an electrode array for providing a current in relation to the electric field of said piezoelectric means;
• electrical conductors for transferring the current provided by said electrode array;
• and
• a metal-oxide-silicon capacitor for providing a space-charge region in relation to said write pulse and in relation to said current transferred by said electrical conductors.