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. 09, 1991
Filed:
Jan. 16, 1990
Louis J Jasper, Jr, Fulton, MD (US);
Maurice Weiner, Ocean, NJ (US);
Lawrence J Bovino, Eatontown, NJ (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
An electromagnetic launcher or railgun includes a projectile or armature which is comprised of an optically activated semiconductor switch device including a body of bulk semiconductor material, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs) or gallium arsenide doped with chromium (Cr: GaAs), located between a pair of rails across which is connected a relatively high current source. A source of optical energy, such as a pulsed laser, directs optical energy to at least one surface of the semiconductor switch device where the conductivity of the semiconductor body is thereby increased and current from the source is transferred between the rails through the semiconductor body, causing an electromagnetic Lorentz type drive force to be built up behind the armature, which is set into motion and rapidly accelerated along the rails.