Patent ID: 8410469

Claim:
A nanoionic switch, comprising: a substrate; a solid electrolyte ternary, said solid electrolyte ternary includes a chalcogenide glass engaging said substrate; said chalcogenide glass includes a metal selected from the group consisting of silver and copper photo-dissolved in said chalcogenide glass; a first oxidizable electrode and a second inert electrode, said first oxidizable electrode and said second inert electrode residing atop and engaging said chalcogenide glass and being spaced apart from each other forming a gap therebetween; a voltage source applied to said first and second electrodes, wherein said voltage source is a direct current voltage source interconnecting a direct current bias across said oxidizable and inert electrodes of said switch, said direct current bias oriented across said switch by applying positive bias to said oxidizable electrode and applying relative negative bias to said inert electrode; wherein a second voltage source is applied to said first and second electrodes an said second voltage source is an alternating current voltage source; wherein said first and second electrodes each include a wide portion, a tapered portion and a narrow portion sized a function of the frequency of the alternating current signal and said wide portions are approximately 1 mm wide, said tapered angles are 22.5°, and said narrow portions are 10 μm wide.