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:
Aug. 08, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 10, 1998
Friedrich J Den Broeder, Eindhoven, NL;
Ralph M Hanzen, Eindhoven, NL;
Peter A Duine, Eindhoven, NL;
Reiner M Jungblut, Eindhoven, NL;
Cornelis Draijer, Eindhoven, NL;
Freddy Roozeboom, Eindhoven, NL;
Paul Van Der Sluis, Eindhoven, NL;
U.S. Philips Corporation, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A description is given of an optical switching device (1) comprising a transparent substrate (3), a switching film (5) of a hydride compound of a trivalent transition or rare earth metal having a thickness of 300 nm, and a palladium capping layer (7) having a thickness of 30 nm. The capping layer is in contact with hydrogen. An electric current through the switching film (5) can be switched on and off between the terminals (9, 11). Joule heating of the switching film (5) causes a rapid transition from the transparent trihydride state to the absorbing dihydride state. By switching off the current, the switching film (5) cools down, which results in the formation of the absorbing dihydride state. The conversion between both states is reversible and can be repeated many times. The device can be used for controlling light beams, or it can be used in or for a display. Optionally, cooling of the switching film (5) is obtained with a Peltier element in thermal contact with the switching film (5).