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:
Jun. 05, 2018
Filed:
Jan. 28, 2014
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Vladimir Bulovic, Lexington, MA (US);
Jeffrey H. Lang, Sudbury, MA (US);
Hae-Seung Lee, Lexington, MA (US);
Timothy M. Swager, Newton, MA (US);
Trisha L. Andrew, Madison, WI (US);
Matthew Eric D'Asaro, Cambridge, MA (US);
Parag Deotare, Medford, MA (US);
Apoorva Murarka, Cambridge, MA (US);
Farnaz Niroui, Ontario, CA;
Ellen Sletten, Somerville, MA (US);
Annie I-Jen Wang, Cambridge, MA (US);
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
Electromechanical devices described herein may employ tunneling phenomena to function as low-voltage switches. Opposing electrodes may be separated by an elastically deformable layer which, in some cases, may be made up of a non-electrically conductive material. In some embodiments, the elastically deformable layer is substantially free of electrically conductive material. When a sufficient actuation voltage and/or force is applied, the electrodes are brought toward one another and, accordingly, the elastically deformable layer is compressed. Though, the elastically deformable layer prevents the electrodes from making direct contact with one another. Rather, when the electrodes are close enough to one another, a tunneling current arises therebetween. The elastically deformable layer may exhibit spring-like behavior such that, upon release of the actuation voltage and/or force, the separation distance between electrodes is restored. Thus, the electromechanical device may be actuated between open and closed switch positions.