Reusable fast opening switch

Patent · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:865908

Van Devender, John P ^[1]; Emin, David ^[1]

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1. Albuquerque, NM

A reusable fast opening switch for transferring energy, in the form of a high power pulse, from an electromagnetic storage device such as an inductor into a load. The switch is efficient, compact, fast and reusable. The switch comprises a ferromagnetic semiconductor which undergoes a fast transition between conductive and insulating states at a critical temperature and which undergoes the transition without a phase change in its crystal structure. A semiconductor such as europium rich europhous oxide, which undergoes a conductor to insulator transition when it is joule heated from its conductor state, can be used to form the switch.

• Research Organization: AT & T CORP
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4598338
• OSTI ID: 865908
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/361/257/307/
change
compact
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conductive
conductor
critical
critical temperature
crystal
crystal structure
device
efficient
electromagnetic
energy
europhous
europium
fast
ferromagnetic
form
heated
inductor
insulating
insulator
joule
joule heated
load
oxide
phase
phase change
power
power pulse
pulse
reusable
reusable fast
rich
semiconductor
storage
storage device
structure
switch
temperature
transferring
transferring energy
transition
undergoes