Wide bandgap matrix switcher, amplifier and oscillator

• US 9,419,721 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Sampayan, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Li
• Application Number:
  US14/218,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20140270777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 398/76, 398115-117
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 5/00 Systems for regulating electric variables by detecting deviations in the electric input to the system and thereby controlling a device within the system to obtain a regulated output
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 17/00 Generation of oscillations using radiation source and detector, e.g. with interposed variable obturator
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 1/34 by means of light-sensitive element
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 7/02 in transmission lines, waveguides, cavity resonators or radiation fields of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/08 controlled by light
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2575 Radio-over-fibre, e.g. radio frequency signal modulated onto an optical carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/505 using external modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/548 Phase or frequency modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/00 Optical multiplex systems

Abstract

An electronic device comprising an optical gate, an electrical input an electrical output and a wide bandgap material positioned between the electrical input and the electrical output to control an amount of current flowing between the electrical input and the electrical output in response to a stimulus received at the optical gate can be used in wideband telecommunication applications in transmission of multi-channel signals.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an electrical power supply;

a first electrode coupled to the electrical power supply;

a second electrode separated from the first electrode;

a wide bandgap photoconductive material located between and in contact with the first and second electrodes and responsive to input radiation to change an electrical conductivity of an electrical path between the first and second electrodes through the wide bandgap photoconductive material;

a radiation source that produces the input radiation received by the wide bandgap photoconductive material; and

an electrical to optical conversion device that receives a sample of an electrical output signal from the first or second electrode and converts the received sample of the electrical output signal into an optical signal that is applied with the input radiation into the wide bandgap photoconductive material to form a closed signal loop to sustain a self-oscillation in the electronic device.

2. The device as in claim 1, comprising:

an electrical load device between the second electrode and a ground,

wherein the electrical power supply, the first and second electrodes and the electrical load are coupled to produce a follower circuit whose output is generated at a location between the second electrode and the electrical load device.

3. The device as in claim 1, wherein the first electrode is coupled to a resistor which is further coupled to the electrical power supply, and the second electrode is coupled to a ground to effectuate an amplifier circuit whose output is between the first electrode and the resistor.

4. The device as in claim 1, further comprising:

a second electrical power supply coupled to the second electrode,

wherein the electrical polarities of the electrical power supply and the second electrical power supply are selected relative to each other to render the first and second electrodes, the wide bandgap photoconductive material, the electrical power supply and the second electrical power supply to form a bi-polar, balanced output, waveform generator.

5. The device as in claim 1, comprising:

a resistor between the second electrode and a ground,

wherein the electrical power supply, the first and second electrodes, and the resistor are coupled to form a follower circuit whose output is generated at a location between the second electrode and the resistor.

6. The device as in claim 1, comprising:

a resistor between the second electrode and a ground,

wherein the electrical power supply, the first and second electrodes, and the resistor are coupled to form a shunt type floating ground balanced waveform generator with outputs between the first electrode and the electrical power supply and between the second electrode and the resistor.

7. The device as in claim 1, comprising:

a first resistor between the first electrode and the electrical power supply, and a second resistor between the second electrode and a ground,

wherein the electrical power supply, the first and second electrodes, and the first and second resistors are coupled to form a shunt type floating ground balanced waveform generator with outputs between the first electrode and the first resistor and between the second electrode and the second resistor.

8. The device as in claim 1, comprising:

a second electrical power supply coupled to the second electrode,

a first resistor between the first electrode and the electrical power supply, and

a second resistor between the second electrode and the second electrical power supply,

wherein the electrical polarities of the electrical power supply and the second electrical power supply are selected relative to each other to enable the combination of the first and second electrodes, the wide bandgap photoconductive material, the electrical power supply and the second electrical power supply, and the first and second resistors to operate as a bi-polar, balanced output, waveform generator with outputs between the first electrode and the first resistor and between the second electrode and the second resistor.

9. The device as in claim 1, wherein the first electrode is coupled to an electrical load device which is further coupled to the electrical power supply, and the second electrode is coupled to a ground to effectuate an amplifier circuit whose output is between the first electrode and the electrical load device.

10. The device as in claim 1, configured to operate a wide bandgap transconductance device (WBTD) capable of responding and amplifying oscillations over a wide frequency range.

11. The device as in claim 10, wherein the WBTD is implemented as a part of a telecommunication system.

12. The device as in claim 10, wherein the WBTD is implemented as a component of a high power solid-state electronics.