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:
Mar. 07, 2000
Filed:
May. 14, 1998
Uttam Shyamalindu Ghoshal, Austin, TX (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A solid state thermal switch providing thermal conductivity in an ON state and enhanced thermal isolation in an OFF state. The thermal switch is manufactured on a substrate by forming an oxide layer under a thin semiconducting layer. The thin semiconducting layer can be made from silicon or a silicon germanium lattice structure. The thin silicon layer is cracked by a neutron bombardment process. A drain and a source are then etched into the thin silicon layer. Cracks in the thin silicon layer disrupt quiescent thermal conductivity in the electron transport layer between the gate and source when the solid state thermal switch is in the OFF state. The thin semiconducting layer transports electrons and heat when the solid state thermal switch is in the ON state. The cracks created in the silicon layer provide thermal isolation from the drain to the source when the thermal switch is in an OFF state and allow heat conduction when the solid state thermal device is in the ON state.