A Nonlinear Electrical Resonator as a Simple Touch-Sensitive Switch with Memory
- 1 Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dickinson College, Carlisle, USA
- 2 Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dickinson College, Carlisle, USA
- 3 a.t.Q Services LLC, Carlisle, USA
Abstract
We introduce a novel switching mechanism that relies on the bistability of a simple nonlinear electrical resonator which incorporates a varactor diode as its capacitive element. The switching action can be made fast and is self-contained in that no further circuitry is necessary. Unlike a flip-flop, whose state is flipped by applying a TTL pulse, this nonlinear switch can be engaged external to the circuit via magnetic, inductive or capacitive coupling; in this way, the switch becomes intrinsically touch-sensitive. Alternatively, the switching action can also be accomplished using frequency - shift-keying (FSK) modulation, which holds the promise of fast manipulation of the memory state. We demonstrate the potential application of these ideas by constructing a touch-sensitive LED lattice.
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