Optically-tuned electronic components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9496296-B1
Application number	US-201314136766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2013
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to optically-tuned electronic components including one or more layers of photosensitive semiconductive materials. In some embodiments, an optically-tuned electronic component includes a plurality of device layers have different bandgap characteristics. One or more selected layers can be optically activated (i.e. made substantially conductive) by illuminating at least a portion of each selected layer with illumination having a wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the activation wavelength of each selected layer. Accordingly, various parameters can be tuned or a circuit can be switched between alternative paths by providing one or more selected wavelengths of illumination.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic assembly, comprising:
a first conductor;
a second conductor;
a plurality of photosensitive semiconductive layers disposed between the first conductor and the second conductor, the plurality of photosensitive semiconductive layers including at least a first layer having a first bandgap and a second layer having a second bandgap that is different from the first bandgap, the first layer being sensitive to wavelengths of illumination shorter than or substantially equal to a first activation wavelength defined by the first bandgap, and the second layer being sensitive to wavelengths of illumination shorter than or substantially equal to a second activation wavelength defined by the second bandgap; and
an illumination source configured to illuminate at least a portion of at least one of the first layer and the second layer with illumination having a wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the first activation wavelength or illumination having a wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the second activation wavelength, the illumination source including:
a first illumination source configured to provide the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the first activation wavelength; and
a second illumination source configured to provide the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the second activation wavelength.

2. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first bandgap is narrower than the second bandgap, and wherein the first activation wavelength is longer than the second activation wavelength.

3. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller in communication with the illumination source, the controller being configured to signal the illumination source to provide the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the first activation wavelength or the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the second activation wavelength.

4. The electronic assembly of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to signal the illumination source to provide the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the first activation wavelength or the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the second activation wavelength based upon a selected capacitance value.

5. The electronic assembly of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to signal the illumination source to illuminate a selected portion of the at least one of the first layer and the second layer based upon the selected capacitance value.

6. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the illumination source comprises:
a tunable broadband illumination source configured to provide the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the first activation wavelength, and further configured to provide the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the second activation wavelength.

7. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
an optical fiber configured to deliver illumination from the illumination source to the at least one of the first layer and the second layer.

8. The electronic assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
an actuator coupled to the optical fiber, the actuator being configured to actuate the optical fiber to deliver illumination from the illumination source to a selected portion of the at least one of the first layer and the second layer.

9. A tunable filter, comprising:
at least one of a resistive element and an inductive element;
at least one capacitive element including a plurality of photosensitive semiconductive layers disposed between a first conductor and a second conductor, the plurality of photosensitive semiconductive layers including at least a first layer having a first bandgap and a second layer having a second bandgap that is different from the first bandgap, the first layer being sensitive to wavelengths of illumination shorter than or substantially equal to a first activation wavelength defined by the first bandgap, and the second layer being sensitive to wavelengths of illumination shorter than or substantially equal to a second activation wavelength defined by the second bandgap; and
an illumination source configured to illuminate at least a portion of at least one of the first layer and the second layer with illumination having a wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the first activation wavelength or illumination having a wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the second activation wavelength, the illumination source including:
a first illumination source configured to provide the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the first activation wavelength; and
a second illumination source configured to provide the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the second activation wavelength.

10. The tunable filter of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first terminal configured to directly or indirectly couple the at least one capacitive element to at least one radiating element of an electronically scanned array; and
a second terminal configured to directly or indirectly couple the at least one capacitive element to at least one of a processor or an electronic circuit configured to demodulate a signal received from the at least one radiating element of the electronically scanned array.

11. The tunable filter of claim 9 , further comprising:
a controller in communication with the illumination source, the controller being configured to signal the illumination source to provide the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the first activation wavelength or the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the second activation wavelength.

12. The tunable filter of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to signal the illumination source to provide the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the first activation wavelength or the illumination having the wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the second activation wavelength based upon a selected cutoff frequency or a selected range of frequencies.

13. The tunable filter of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to signal the illumination source to illuminate a selected portion of the at least one of the first layer and the second layer based upon the selected cutoff frequency or the selected range of frequencies.

14. The tunable filter of claim 9 , further comprising:
an optical fiber configured to deliver illumination from the illumination source to the at least one of the first layer and the second layer.

15. The tunable filter of claim 14 , further comprising:
an actuator coupled to the optical fiber, the actuator being configured to actuate the optical fiber to deliver illumination from the illumination source to a selected portion of the at least one of the first layer and the second layer.

16. An electronic assembly, comprising:
a first conductor;
a second conductor;
a third conductor;
a plurality of photosensitive semiconductive layers including at least a first layer disposed between the first conductor and the second conductor having a first bandgap and a second layer disposed between the first conductor and the third conductor having a second bandgap that is different from the first ba

Assignees

• Rockwell Collins Inc

Inventors

• Landt Don L
• Mccoy Bryan S

Classifications

• H01L31/167

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/162

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/165

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L27/14638

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L27/1443 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic