Conductive particle interconnect switch

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus comprising a conductive particle interconnect (CPI) and an electroactive polymer (EAP) structure. The CPI includes an elastomeric carrier and a plurality of conductive particles dispersed therein. The EAP structure is disposed around at least a portion of the CPI. The EAP structure is configured to move between a first position and a second position in response to an electrical field. The CPI is configured to exhibit a first electrical resistance when the EAP structure is in the first position and a second, different electrical resistance when the EAP structure is in the second position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining a target state of a conductive particle interconnect (CPI);   generating an input signal based on the target state; and   transmitting the input signal to a voltage source to cause an electroactive polymer (EAP) disposed around the CPI to apply a force on the CPI, the force causing the CPI to transition to the target state.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 determining a target voltage associated with the target state, wherein the target voltage is a voltage that causes the EAP to move to a position associated with the target state; and   applying, by the voltage source, the target voltage to the EAP.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 monitoring, after transmitting the input signal to the voltage source, an output of the CPI; and   determining, based on the monitoring, whether the CPI is in the target state.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein monitoring the output of the CPI includes determining a resistance of the CPI, the method further comprising:
 adjusting, in response to determining that the CPI is not in the target state, a voltage applied to the EAP, wherein the adjusting includes:
 in response to the resistance of the CPI being too high, increasing the voltage applied to the EAP to cause further compression of the CPI; and 
 in response to the resistance of the CPI being too low, decreasing the voltage applied to the EAP to reduce compression of the CPI. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein monitoring the output of the CPI includes determining a resistance of the CPI, the method further comprising:
 adjusting, in response to determining that the CPI is not in the target state, a voltage applied to the EAP, wherein the adjusting includes:
 in response to the resistance of the CPI being too high, decreasing the voltage applied to the EAP to cause further compression of the CPI; and 
 in response to the resistance of the CPI being too low, increasing the voltage applied to the EAP to reduce compression of the CPI. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the CPI is configured to act as a switch having two or more states, each of the two or more states having an associated position of the EAP; and   transmitting the input signal to the voltage source causes the EAP to move into a position associated with the target state.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the CPI includes an elastomeric carrier and a plurality of conductive particles dispersed therein. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the EAP is configured to move between a first position and a second position in response to an electrical field; and   the CPI is configured to exhibit a first electrical resistance when the EAP is in the first position and to exhibit a second electrical resistance when the EAP is in the second position.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 detecting that a temperature of the EAP is below a threshold;   applying, in response to detecting that the temperature of the EAP is below the threshold, a DC bias voltage to the EAP, the DC bias voltage being a voltage that causes expansion of the EAP so as to offset constriction caused by the temperature.   
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a conductive particle interconnect (CPI);   an electroactive polymer (EAP) disposed around the CPI;   a voltage source coupled to the EAP; and   processing logic configured to perform a method comprising:
 determining a target state of the CPI; 
 generating an input signal based on the target state; and 
 transmitting the input signal to the voltage source to cause the EAP to apply a force on the CPI, the force causing the CPI to transition to the target state. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the CPI is configured to act as a switch having two or more states, each of the two or more states having an associated position of the EAP; and   transmitting the input signal to the voltage source causes the EAP to move into a position associated with the target state.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the EAP is configured to move between at least a first position and a second position in response to an electrical field; and   the CPI is configured to exhibit a first electrical resistance when the EAP is in the first position and to exhibit a second electrical resistance when the EAP is in the second position.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , the system further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the EAP, wherein the method further comprises:
 applying, in response to detecting that the temperature of the EAP is below a threshold, using the voltage source, a DC bias voltage to the EAP, the DC bias voltage being a voltage that causes expansion of the EAP so as to offset constriction caused by the temperature.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the CPI includes an elastomeric carrier and a plurality of conductive particles dispersed therein. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:
 monitoring, after transmitting the input signal to the voltage source, an output of the CPI; and   determining, based on the monitoring, whether the CPI is in the target state.   
     
     
         16 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
 determining a target state of a conductive particle interconnect (CPI);   generating an input signal based on the target state; and   transmitting the input signal to a voltage source to cause an electroactive polymer (EAP) disposed around the CPI to apply a force on the CPI, causing the CPI to transition to the target state.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining a target voltage associated with the target state, wherein the target voltage is a voltage that causes the EAP to move to a first position associated with the target state; and   applying, by the voltage source, the target voltage to the EAP.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 monitoring, after transmitting the input signal to the voltage source, an output of the CPI; and   determining, based on the monitoring, whether the CPI is in the target state.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein monitoring the output of the CPI includes determining a resistance of the CPI, the method further comprising:
 adjusting, in response to determining that the CPI is not in the target state, a voltage applied to the EAP, wherein the adjusting includes:
 in response to the resistance of the CPI being too high, increasing the voltage applied to the EAP to cause further compression of the CPI; and 
 in response to the resistance of the CPI being too low, decreasing the voltage applied to the EAP to reduce compression of the CPI. 
   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the CPI is configured to act as a switch having two or more states, each of the two or more states having an associated position of the EAP; and   transmitting the input signal to the voltage source causes the EAP to move into a position associated with the target state.