US4159443A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electroluminescent optical devices
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1978-07-18
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Granted: 1979-06-26
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Expires: 1998-07-18
Abstract
Abstract Devices of the nature of magnetic bubble devices, but in which "bits" take the form of light spots, are described. A prototypical device takes the form of an electroluminescent, photoconducting film straddled by orthogonal arrays of insulated strip electrodes forming closely spaced intercept positions so arranged that during operation such intercepts are sequentially biased. A light spot once nucleated--e.g., through a combination of electroinduced and photoinduced luminescence, is stepped by applying bias below nucleation threshold. Devices may serve a variety of memory and/or logic functions.
Inventors
- 👤 Hans J. Stocker
- 👤 LeGrand G. Van Uitert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 20:30
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C19/00; G11C19/30; G11C11/00; G11C11/21; G11C11/42; H; H05; H05B; H05B33/00; H05B33/12; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
Device comprising a first medium adapted for nucleation and propagation of bits, said bits being evidenced as a change of state of the said medium and representing information, together with means for propagating said bits through the said medium, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the said bits are light spots produced by luminescence, the said medium is both electroluminescent and photoconductive, in that the said means includes electrical means for biasing the said medium at a level below that required to nucleate the said bits but sufficient to propagate existing bits, the bias required to propagate being lower than that required to nucleate due to lattice absorption of photons from existing light spots in the vicinity of such spots, whereby the cumulative influence of electrons due to the said electrical means and electrons due to the photoconductive effort are together sufficient to result in propagation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
143 words
Device comprising a first medium adapted for nucleation and propagation of bits, said bits being evidenced as a change of state of the said medium and representing information, together with means for propagating said bits through the said medium, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the said bits are light spots produced by luminescence, the said medium is both electroluminescent and photoconductive, in that the said means includes electrical means for biasing the said medium at a level below that required to nucleate the said bits but sufficient to propagate existing bits, the bias required to propagate being lower than that required to nucleate due to lattice absorption of photons from existing light spots in the vicinity of such spots, whereby the cumulative influence of electrons due to the said electrical means and electrons due to the photoconductive effort are together sufficient to result in propagation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
Device of claim 1 in which the said biasing means includes conducting electrodes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
Device of claim 2 in which the said medium is a layer in which the said electrodes staddle the said layer and in which electrodes are electrically insulated from the said medium on at least one face of the said layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
Device of claim 3 in which the said electrodes comprise two arrays of essentially parallel conducting strips, the first array being on one broad face of the said layer and the second array being on the other broad face of the said layer, the two arrays being nonparallel so as to form intercepts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
Device of claim 4 in which the said electrical means produces a bias which is due to the cumulative influence of bias applied to a member of each said array with the bias attaining a sufficient level to result in propagation of a bit only at the position of an intercept.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
Device of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 in which the said biasing means scans the said layer so as to produce a regular progression of bits from a starting position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
Device of claim 1 provided with generating means for nucleating bits.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
Device of claim 1 in which the said medium comprises a semiconductive material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
Device of claim 1 or 8 in which the said medium comprises a semiconductive material which has extrinsic luminescent properties.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
Device of claim 9 in which extrinsic luminescent properties are primarily due to dopant.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
Device of claim 10 in which the semiconductive material comprises at least one composition selected from the group consisting of ZnS, CdS, ZnSe, and Ga(As,P).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
Device of claim 1 in which the said medium comprises ZnS doped with Mn.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
Device of claim 1 in which light spots appear as films of light extending substantially throughout the thickness of the said medium.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
Device of claim 13 in which electrode spacing is of the order of microns.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
Device of claim 14 in which electron flow responsive to the said electrical means is over a path at least sometimes coincident with any light spot at an adjacent electrode position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
Device of claim 15 in which luminescence is within the visible spectrum.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-06-25 | 1982-12-25 | 1983-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-06-25 | 1986-12-25 | 1987-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-06-25 | 1990-12-25 | 1991-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |