Photoconductive Device with Optical Waveguide Concentrator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing photoconductive switches require high-intensity radiation sources, which are costly and complex, limiting their application in compact telecommunications and electronics due to the need for high peak power and efficient light concentration.
Innovation Solution
The use of wide bandgap materials with optical waveguides and concentrators to spatially confine low-intensity light, increasing its intensity and varying electrical conductivity for switching operations, allowing for efficient photoconductive switching with lower-cost light sources like LEDs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-intensity radiation sources are used to achieve photoconductive switching, then switching performance is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
An optical waveguide is introduced as an intermediary component between the low-intensity light source and the wide bandgap material. The waveguide spatially confines and guides the light, concentrating it onto the material surface to achieve the necessary intensity for photoconductive switching without requiring a high-intensity radiation source, thus reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining switching performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical intensity parameter by using optical confinement and spatial filtering techniques. The waveguide transforms low-intensity light into high-intensity confined light, and the wide bandgap material further concentrates the light to achieve the required intensity threshold for switching, effectively decoupling the light source intensity from the material illumination intensity
2Reliability
If high-intensity radiation sources are used to achieve photoconductive switching, then switching performance is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive high-intensity radiation sources with inexpensive low-intensity light sources such as LEDs. By introducing optical waveguides and concentrators, the system achieves the necessary light intensity for photoconductive switching using cheap, readily available light sources, significantly reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining switching performance
Solution Approach 2:
Optical waveguides and concentrators serve as intermediary components that amplify the effectiveness of low-intensity light sources. These intermediaries concentrate and guide the light to achieve high local intensity on the wide bandgap material, enabling the use of inexpensive light sources instead of costly high-intensity radiation sources
3Ease of manufacture
If low-intensity light sources are used, then cost and complexity are reduced, but light intensity is insufficient for effective switching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the light intensity parameter through optical confinement and spatial filtering. The waveguide confines light spatially to increase intensity, and the wide bandgap material further concentrates the light through its optical properties, effectively converting low-intensity input light into high-intensity localized illumination suitable for photoconductive switching
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses optical waveguides to confine light in specific spatial dimensions, transforming divergent low-intensity light into collimated high-intensity guided light. The waveguide structure adds spatial dimensionality control, concentrating light energy along the propagation path and onto the target material surface
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables predictable and efficient current control over a wide range of conductivities using low-intensity light sources, reducing costs and complexity while maintaining high switching performance, suitable for telecommunications and electronics applications.
Implementation Method 1
an optical waveguide located in an optical path of light to receive the light and to spatially confine the received light as guided light at a higher optical intensity than the received light
Implementation Method 2
Wide bandgap (WGB) materials, when illuminated or energized by a radiation source of photons or subatomic particles, renders the material conductive
Data Source
AI summary
A photonic device having wide bandgap (WBG) materials which change electrical behaviors in response to low-intensity light is disclosed. The device comprises an optical waveguide located in an optical path of light to receive the light and to spatially confine the received light as guided light at a higher optical intensity than the received light; a wide bandgap (WBG) material located in an optical path of the guided light output by the optical waveguide; and two electrodes formed at two different locations on the WBG material to provide two electrical contacts of an electrical path within the WBG material, wherein the WBG material exhibits an electrical conductivity that varies with a level of the guided light output by the optical waveguide to turn on or off the electrical path between the two electrodes.