Multi-layer ferroelectric apparatus

• US 3,868,172 A
• Filed: 06/18/1973
• Issued: 02/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David C.T. Shang, Lawrence B. II
• Original Assignee: David C.T. Shang, Lawrence B. II
• Inventors: Shang, David C. T., Ii, Lawrence B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wibert, Ronald L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tokar, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US05/371,224
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 350/147,150,151,158,16R,DIG.2 356/112
• US Class Current: 359/250
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/055 the active material being a ceramic G02F1/035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/22 using ferroelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5657 using ferroelectric storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/04 using optical elements ; using other beam accessed elements, e.g. electron or ion beam
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/047 using electro-optical elements G11C13/042 takes precedence

Abstract

Ferroelectric optical apparatus has a selectably variable spectral bandpass characteristic. The apparatus has ferroelectric multilayers interleaved with non-opaque selectively energizable conductors for this purpose. The apparatus has low voltage switching characteristics. Light filter and optical storage devices of the invention are also disclosed.

Claims

1. Ferroelectric optical apparatus adapted to transmit incident polarized light therethrough in a given direction, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of superimposed ferroelectric layers, each of said ferroelectric layers having first and second planar opposing sides transverse to said direction, at least one conductive member means disposed on each said first and second sides of each said ferroelectric layer, and means coupled to said conductive member means for selectively energizing said ferroelectric layers to provide said apparatus with a selectable and variable spectral bandpass characteristic.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least two adjacent ones of said plural ferroelectric layers have commonly disposed therebetween one of said conductive member means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least two adjacent ones of said plural ferroelectric layers have two of said conductive member means disposed therebetween, said apparatus further comprising at least one insulator member means disposed between the last mentioned said two conductive member means.

4. Light filter apparatus adapted to transmit incident polarized light therethrough in a given direction, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of superimposed ferroelectric layers, each of said ferroelectric layers having first and second planar opposing sides transverse to said direction, at least one conductive member means disposed on each said first and second sides of each said ferroelectric layer, polarizer means, analyzer means, said conductive member means and said ferroelectric layers being disposed between said polarizer and analyzer means, and means coupled to said conductive member means for selectively energizing said ferroelectric layers to provide said filter apparatus with a selectable and variable spectral bandpass characteristic.

5. Ferroelectric optical storage apparatus having plural storage locations adapted to transmit an incident polarized scanning light beam therethrough in a given direction, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of first and second spaced conductive member means, a plurality of superimposed ferroelectric layers, each of said ferroelectric layers having first and second planar opposing sides transverse to said direction, a mutually exclusive one of said first conductive member means and a mutually exclusive one of said second conductive member means being disposed on said first and second sides, respectively, of each said layer, said first conductive member means further including a first conductive member and a light responsive second conductive member, and means coupled to said conductive member means for selectively energizing said ferroelectric layers to provide said apparatus with a selectable and variable spectral bandpass characteristic representative of the digital information to be stored in each of said locations of said apparatus.

6. Ferroelectric optical apparatus adapted to transmit incident polarized light therethrough in a given direction, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of sections, each of said sections comprising first and second conductive layer means, and a ferroelectric third layer having first and second planar opposing sides transverse to said direction and being disposed adjacent to said first and second layer means, respectively, plural insulator members, a mutually-exclusive one of said plural insulator members being disposed between each of said sections, and means coupled to said first and second conductive layer means for selectively energizing said ferroelectric third layers to provide said apparatus with a selectable and variable spectral bandpass characteristic.

7. Light filter apparatus adapted to transmit incident polarized light therethrough in a given direction, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of sections, each of said sections comprising first and second conductive layers, and a ferroelectric third layer having first and second planar opposing sides transverse to said direction and being disposed adjacent to said first and second layers, respectively, plural insulator members, a mutually-exclusive one of said plural insulator members being disposed between each of said sections, a polarizer and an analyzer with said sections being disposed therebetween, and means coupled to said first and second conductive layers for selectively energizing said ferroelectric third layers to provide said apparatus with a selectable and variable spectral bandpass characteristic.

8. Ferroelectric optical storage apparatus having plural storage locations adapted to transmit an incident polarized scanning light beam therethrough in a given direction, said storage apparatus comprising:

a plurality of sections, each of said sections comprising in sequence first, second and third conductive layers, and a ferroelectric fourth layer having first and second planar opposing sides transverse to said direction and being disposed adjacent to said second and third layers, respectively, said second layer being of the photoconductive type, plural insulator members, a mutually exclusive one of said plural insulator members being disposed between each of said sections, and means coupled to said first and third conductive layers for selectively energizing said ferroelectric fourth layers to provide said apparatus with a selectable and variable spectral bandpass characteristic representative of the digital information to be stored in each of said locations of said apparatus.