Patent ID: 9748859
Date: 2017-08-29
CPC Classifications: H02M,H03K

Claim:
1. A four-terminal circuit element with a photonic core, comprising: a first terminal that provides a first electrical contact; a second terminal that provides a second electrical contact; a third terminal that provides a third electrical contact; a fourth terminal that provides a fourth electrical contact; a light source coupled to the first and the second terminals to receive an electrical signal and operable to produce light in response to the electrical signal; a wide bandgap material in contact with a first electrode coupled to the third terminal and a second electrode coupled to the fourth terminals to allow an electrical current to flow between the first and second electrodes, the wideband gap material positioned to receive the light produced by the light source and configured to exhibit a photoconductivity in response to the received light, wherein one or both of the first and the second terminals are operable as input terminals to receive an input controlling signal, and one or both of the third and the fourth terminals are operable as output terminals to provide an output signal controlled at least in-part by the input controlling signal.