US Patent 7557372 - Programmable conductivity nanoparticle films

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7557372.html

The popularization of the memristor by Hewlett-Packard has opened the possibility of a variety of new circuit architectures providing reconfigurable electronics and new types of electronic memory. This patent from the University of California teaches a nanoparticle film with similar programmable characteristics. Claim 1 reads:

1. A composition for the formation of an electric field programmable film, the composition comprising:

a matrix precursor composition or a dielectric matrix material;

wherein the dielectric matrix material comprises an organic polymer and/or a inorganic oxide;

and an electron donor and an electron acceptor of a type and in an amount effective to provide electric field programming,

wherein the electron donor consists essentially of nanoparticles having sizes in a range of 1 nm to 100 nm.