Patent ID: 7923715

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 is selected from the group of Ge—Se, Ge—S, and Si—O binaries; said chalcogenide glass is saturated with a metal selected from the group of silver and copper photo-dissolved in said chalcogenide glass; a first silver oxidizable electrode and a second nickel inert electrode, said first silver oxidizable electrode includes a gold plating thereover and said second nickel electrode includes a gold plating thereover, said first oxidizable electrode and said second inert electrode residing atop and engaging said chalcogenide glass and being spaced apart from each other forming an electrically non-conductive gap therebetween; a first external switch for temporarily applying a first voltage source to said first and second electrodes, said first external switch movable between a first, open position and a second, closed position; when said first external switch is in second, closed position, said first voltage source being a direct current voltage source applies a direct current bias across said first silver oxidizable electrode and said second nickel inert electrode, said direct current bias oriented across said electrodes applies a positive bias to said first silver oxidizable electrode and applies a relative negative bias to said second nickel inert electrode; said application of said direct current voltage source to said first silver oxidizable electrode and said second nickel inert electrode forming conductive pathways of silver and/or copper in and/or on said chalcogenide glass bridging said electrodes and filling said gap with said conductive pathways between said electrodes making said gap electrically conductive; upon the discontinuation of said application of said first direct current voltage source to said first silver oxidizable electrode and said second silver oxidizable electrode said gap remains electrically conductive and said first external switch is moved from said second, closed position to said first, open position; a second external switch for applying a second, alternating current voltage source to said first and second electrodes, said second external switch movable between a first, open position and a second, closed position; said second external switch is moved from said first, open position to said second, closed position upon the discontinuation of said application of said first direct current voltage source to said first silver oxidizable electrode and said second silver oxidizable electrode, and a second alternating current voltage source is applied to said first silver oxidizable electrode and said second nickel inert electrode; and, said second alternating current voltage source being operated at a sufficiently high frequency to prevent reformation of said electrically non-conductive gap between said electrodes.