Electronic Device, And Method of Operating An Electronic Device

• US 20100238720A1
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Tio Castro, David, Attenborough, Karen
• Granted Patent: US 8,379,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/163
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/231 based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/823 adapted for essentially horizontal current flow, e.g. bridge type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8613 Heating or cooling means other than resistive heating electrodes, e.g. heater in parallel

Abstract

An electronic device (100) comprising a heat transfer structure (103) and a phase change structure (104) which is convertible between two phase states by heating, wherein the phase change structure (104) is electrically conductive in at least one of the two phase states, wherein the heat transfer structure (103) is arranged to be heated by radiation (106) impinging on the heat transfer structure (103), wherein the phase change structure (104) is thermally coupled to the heat transfer structure (103) so that the phase change structure (104) is convertible between the two phase states when the radiation (106) impinges on the heat transfer structure (103).

Claims

1. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising

a heat transfer structure;

a convertible structure which is convertible between at least two states by heating, wherein the convertible structure has different electrical properties in different ones of the at least two states;

wherein the heat transfer structure is arranged to interact with radiation impinging on the heat transfer structure;

wherein the convertible structure is coupled to the heat transfer structure in such a manner that the convertible structure is convertible between different ones of the at least two states when the radiation impinges on the heat transfer structure.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the convertible structure is a thermo-dependent structure, particularly a phase change structure that is convertible between at least two phase-states.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the convertible structure is electrically conductive in at least one in the at least two states.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the different electrical properties are at least one of the group consisting of different values of the electrical conductivity, different values of the permittivity, different values of the magnetic permeability, different values of the capacitance, and different values of the inductance of the convertible structure.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising an electric sensing circuitry adapted for sensing the different electrical properties of the convertible structure in different ones of the at least two states.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer structure is arranged to be heated by electromagnetic radiation impinging on the heat transfer structure.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the convertible structure is adapted such that a value of the electrical conductivity differs between the at least two states.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the convertible structure is adapted such that one of the at least two states relates to a crystalline phase and another one of the at least two states relates to an amorphous phase of the convertible structure.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a radiation source, particularly an electromagnetic radiation source, adapted for generating the radiation, particularly adapted for generating the electromagnetic radiation, for impinging on the heat transfer structure.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source is adapted for generating the radiation in accordance with at least one predetermined radiation pulse pattern.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the at least one predetermined radiation pulse pattern comprises a first radiation pulse pattern adapted for converting the convertible structure from a first one of the at least two states into a second one of the at least two states, and comprises a second radiation pulse pattern adapted for converting the convertible structure from the second one of the at least two states into the first one of the at least two states.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11,

wherein the first radiation pulse pattern is adapted for heating the convertible structure up to a first temperature value;

wherein the second radiation pulse pattern is adapted for heating the convertible structure up to a second temperature value;

wherein the first temperature value is smaller than the second temperature value.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer structure is configured for being heated by the impinging electromagnetic radiation in a manner of the group consisting of inductively heating the heat transfer structure, and heating the heat transfer structure by alternatively magnetizing and demagnetizing the heat transfer structure.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer structure is an electrode.

15. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a switch, particularly a field effect transistor, electrically coupled to the convertible structure.

16. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a supplementary heating mechanism for selectively heating the convertible structure, particularly a supplementary heating mechanism heating by applying an electric heating signal to the convertible structure.

17. The electronic device according to claim 1, adapted as one of the group consisting of a memory device, a memory array, a gain controller, an electromagnetic radiation sensor, a radiation sensor, an actuator, a microelectromechanical structure, a controller, a switch, and a transductor.

18. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising

impinging radiation on a heat transfer structure of the electronic device for effecting an interaction between the heat transfer structure and the impinging radiation;

heating a convertible structure of the electronic device, which convertible structure is coupled to the heat transfer structure, under the influence of the radiation impinging on the heat transfer structure to thereby convert the convertible structure between two of at least two states, wherein the convertible structure has different electric properties in different ones of the at least two phase states.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the converting includes at one of the group consisting of programming information in and erasing information from the electronic device configured as a memory cell.