US 11,942,760 B2
High-power electrically tunable switch
Lars F. Voss, Livermore, CA (US); Adam M. Conway, Livermore, CA (US); and John E. Heebner, Livermore, CA (US)
Assigned to LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC, Livermore, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/271,428
Filed by LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC, Livermore, CA (US)
PCT Filed Dec. 19, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/066589
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 25, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/131054, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0336131 A1, Oct. 28, 2021
Int. Cl. H01S 5/042 (2006.01); H10N 70/00 (2023.01)
CPC H01S 5/0428 (2013.01) [H10N 70/00 (2023.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A high-voltage switch, comprising:
a first electrode configured to receive a voltage having a first polarity;
a second electrode that is spaced apart from the first electrode and configured to receive a voltage having a second polarity or to be connected to a ground level;
a first region of non-absorbing material that occupies at least a portion of a space between the first and second electrodes, the non-absorbing material allowing a laser pulse to propagate therethrough without substantial absorption of the laser pulse; and
a first region of absorbing material occupying at least another portion of the space between the first and the second electrodes, the first region of absorbing material configured to produce a charged particle cloud upon receiving the laser pulse,
wherein the high-voltage switch is configured to generate an output current upon the charged particle cloud reaching either the first or the second electrodes and until the charged particle cloud has been collected by the first or the second electrodes, and
wherein the high-voltage switch is configured to generate substantially no output current subsequent to the collection of the charged particle cloud by the first or the second electrodes and until another generated charged particle cloud reaches either the first or the second electrodes.