Laser activated diffuse discharge switch

Patent · 31 December 1987

OSTI ID:866586

Christophorou, Loucas G ^[1]; Hunter, Scott R ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge, TN

The invention is a gas mixture for a diffuse discharge switch which is capable of changing from a conducting state to an insulating state in the presence of electrons upon the introduction of laser light. The mixture is composed of a buffer gas such as nitrogen or argon and an electron attaching gas such as C.sub.6 H.sub.5 SH, C.sub.6 H.sub.5 SCH.sub.3, CH.sub.3 CHO and CF.sub.3 CHO wherein the electron attachment is brought on by indirect excitation of molecules to long-lived states by exposure to laser light.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4743807
• OSTI ID: 866586
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/315/200/307/313/
activated
argon
attaching
attachment
brought
buffer
buffer gas
capable
cf
changing
cho
composed
conducting
diffuse
diffuse discharge
discharge
discharge switch
electron
electron attachment
electrons
excitation
exposure
gas
gas mixture
indirect
insulating
introduction
laser
laser activated
laser light
light
long-lived
mixture
molecules
nitrogen
presence
sch
switch