Optically transitioned metal-insulator surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9639001-B2
Application number	US-201414172244-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2014
Priority date	Feb 4, 2014
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A system to dynamically configure a conductive pathway and a method of forming a dynamically configurable conductive pathway are described. The system includes a substrate to mechanically support a circuit, and a photosensitive layer disposed on at least a portion of at least one side of the substrate. The system also includes a light source to controllably define the conductive pathway in the photosensitive layer based on photoexcitation of an area of the photosensitive layer corresponding with the conductive pathway, a change in the area photoexcited by the light source facilitating a change in the conductive pathway.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system to dynamically configure a conductive pathway, the system comprising:
a substrate configured to mechanically support a circuit;
a photosensitive layer disposed on at least a portion of at least one side of the substrate; and
a light source configured to controllably define the conductive pathway in the photosensitive layer based on photoexcitation of an area of the photosensitive layer corresponding with the conductive pathway, a change in the area photoexcited by the light source facilitating a change in the conductive pathway, wherein the photosensitive layer comprises an optical switching element which is quantum dots.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein a structure of the at least one type of optical switching element includes passivating material that passivates a surface of the optical switching element.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive layer comprises at least one type of field transmission element.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one type of field transmission element is a conductive nanostructured element and includes one of silver, copper, gold nanoparticles, graphene, or carbon nanotubes.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one type of field transmission element includes passivating material.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive layer comprises at least one type of immobilizing material.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the photosensitive layer further comprises at least one type of optical switching element and at least one type of field transmission element, the at least one type of optical switching element and the at least one type of field transmission element being fillers in the immobilizing material.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is a visible, ultraviolet, or x-ray light source, and the conductive pathway carries direct current.

9. A method of forming a dynamically configurable conductive pathway, the method comprising:
disposing a substrate to mechanically support a circuit;
disposing a photosensitive layer on at least a portion of a least one side of the substrate; and
controlling a light source to define the conductive pathway in the photosensitive layer based on photoexcitation of an area of the photosensitive layer corresponding with the conductive pathway, wherein changing the area photoexcited by the light source facilitates instantaneously changing the conductive pathway.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the disposing the photosensitive layer includes disposing at least one type of optical switching element.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the disposing the at least one type of optical switching element includes disposing a nanostructured semiconductor that includes one of quantum dots, silicon (Si) nanoparticles, or a semiconducting polymer.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the disposing the at least one type of optical switching element includes passivating a surface of the optical switching element.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the disposing the photosensitive layer includes disposing at least one type of field transmission element.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the disposing the at least one type of field transmission element includes disposing a conductive nanostructured element and includes disposing one of silver, copper, gold nanoparticles, graphene, or carbon nanotubes.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the disposing the at least one type of field transmission element includes disposing a passivating material.

16. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the disposing the photosensitive layer includes disposing at least one type of immobilizing material.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the disposing the photosensitive layer further includes disposing at least one type of optical switching element and at least one type of field transmission element, the at least one type of optical switching element and the at least one type of field transmission element being disposed as fillers in the immobilizing material.

18. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the controlling the light source includes controlling a visible, ultraviolet, or x-ray light source, and the conductive pathway carries direct current.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Robson Michael H
• Pace Michael T

Classifications

• G03F7/093

  characterised by antistatic means, e.g. for charge depletion · CPC title

• G03F7/2004

  characterised by the use of a particular light source, e.g. fluorescent lamps or deep UV light · CPC title

• H05K1/0292

  having a modifiable lay-out, i.e. adapted for engineering changes or repair (H05K1/0293 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03F7/2053 Primary

  using a laser (ablative removal B41C) · CPC title

• G02B6/4295

  coupling with semiconductor devices activated by light through the light guide, e.g. thyristors, phototransistors · CPC title