The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 2019
Filed:
Dec. 14, 2016
U.s. Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, MD (US);
Nathan S. Lazarus, Bethesda, MD (US);
Christopher P. Migliaccio, University Park, MD (US);
Iain M. Kierzewski, Silver Spring, MD (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A variable capacitor includes a substrate; a plurality of electrodes on the substrate; a phase change material on the plurality of electrodes; and a thermo-modifying element adjacent to the phase change material, wherein the thermo-modifying element changes a temperature of the phase change material. The change in temperature of the phase change material may change a capacitance between the plurality of electrodes. The thermo-modifying element may be integrated into the substrate. The thermo-modifying element may include a heater that raises a temperature of the phase change material to change from a solid state to a liquid state. The thermo-modifying element may include a layer of metal adjacent to the substrate, and wherein when electrical current flows through the layer of metal, the layer of metal forms a resistive heater and raises a temperature of the phase change material to change from a solid state to a liquid state.