Nanoplasma switch device for ultrafast switching

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12255037-B2
Application number	US-202117798462-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2021
Priority date	Mar 23, 2020
Publication date	Mar 18, 2025
Grant date	Mar 18, 2025

Abstract

The invention relates to a nanoplasma switch device, comprising: —multiple electrically isolated electrodes; —a gap separating the two electrodes; wherein the gap has a width which is dimensioned to effect the generation of a plasma by electric-field electron emission.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A nanoplasma switch device, comprising:
multiple electrically isolated electrodes;
a gap separating the two electrodes;
wherein the gap has a width which is dimensioned to effect the generation of a plasma by electric-field electron emission or tunneling;
wherein the gap has a width of below 5 nanometers to reduce the nanoplasma switch device turn on voltage, for which a fast switching might happen through tunneling; and an optical device may be provided which is configured to trigger a discharge by an optical signal to control the switch device, by shining photons to one of the electrodes, which allows to stimulate electron emission or direct ionization by high energy.

2. The nanoplasma switch device according to claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are formed of metal or doped semiconductor on a nonconductive substrate.

3. The nanoplasma switch device according to claim 1 , wherein the gap has a width of 5 nm to 5 μm.

4. The nanoplasma switch device according to claim 1 , wherein the gap is filled with air, particularly under atmospheric pressure.

5. The nanoplasma switch device according to claim 1 , wherein the device operates at a given pressure below 900 hPa or above 1100 hPa.

6. The nanoplasma switch device according to claim 1 , wherein the gap has a width of between 3 Angstrom and 5 nm to effect the generation of a plasma by tunneling.

7. The nanoplasma switch device according to claim 6 , wherein between the electrodes a 2D material, such as tungsten selenide, molybdenum diselenide, and/or bornitride is introduced, wherein particularly the 2D material is provided as a lateral 2D material layer sandwiched between two electrodes in a vertical arrangement on a substrate.

8. The nanoplasma switch device according to claim 7 , wherein the substrate is removed under the nanoplasma gap.

9. The nanoplasma switch device according to claim 1 , wherein the gap width is configured to have an electrical field at a breakthrough voltage of between 10V and 1000V.

10. A circuitry for pulse-sharpening comprising:
the nanoplasma switch device according to claim 1 ;
signal driver circuit the output of which is connected with the nanoplasma switch device.

11. A circuitry for generating an oscillation comprising:
the nanoplasma switch device according to claim 1 ;
a resonator, coupled with the nanoplasma switch device;
an energy source for energizing the resonator.

12. The circuitry according claim 11 , further comprising an antenna element to radiate the high-frequency oscillation.

13. A circuitry for protecting an integrated circuit or a discrete device against overvoltage, comprising:
a terminal of the integrated circuit or a discrete device;
the nanoplasma switch device according to claim 1 connected with the terminal.

14. The circuitry according to claim 13 , wherein the nanoplasma switch device is in series with a resistance.

Assignees

• Ecole Polytechnique Fed Lausanne Epfl
• Ecole Polytechnique Fed Lausanne Epfl

Inventors

• Matioli Elison De Nazareth
• Samizadeh Nikooytabalvandani Mohammad

Classifications

• H01T4/10

  having a single gap or a plurality of gaps in parallel · CPC title

• H01J37/32321

  Discharge generated by other radiation (H01J37/32055, H01J37/32073, H01J37/32082, H01J37/32192, H01J37/32348 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01J37/32339

  using electromagnetic radiation · CPC title

• H01J17/06 Primary

  Cathodes · CPC title

• H03K17/88 Primary

  By the use, as active elements, of beam-deflection tubes · CPC title