Device applications for voltage switchable dielectric material having high aspect ratio particles

1. A device comprising:

a layer of voltage switchable dielectric (VSD) material, wherein the VSD material comprises:

a polymer binder;

a first set of particles consisting of nanoscale high aspect ratio (HAR) particles that are conductive or semi-conductive, the first set of nanoscale HAR particles dispersed within the binder; and

a second set of particles, other than said first set of nanoscale HAR particles, consisting of conductor and/or semiconductor particles; said second set of conductor and/or semiconductor particles dispersed within the binder;

wherein an amount of particles dispersed in the binder, including the first set of nanoscale HAR particles and the second set of conductor and/or semiconductor particles, is sufficiently low so that a percolation threshold of the VSD material is not reached.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first set of nanoscale HAR particles and the second set of conductor and/or semiconductor particles are substantially uniformly dispersed in the polymer binder.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first set of nanoscale HAR particles include single and/or multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a printed circuit board.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the layer of VSD material is provided within the printed circuit board.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the layer of VSD material is provided at a surface of the printed circuit board.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is selected from a group consisting of a discrete device, a semi-conductor package, a display device or backplane, and a light-emitting diode.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the layer of VSD material includes a metal or a metal complex.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first set of nanoscale HAR particles include inorganic particles.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first set of nanoscale HAR particles include metal particles.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first set of nanoscale HAR particles include nanorods and nanowires.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first set of nanoscale HAR particles include Antimony Tin Oxide (ATO).

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a printed circuit board, thin film electronic device, light emitting diode device, radio-frequency device, or radio frequency identification (RFID) device.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a printed circuit board, and one or more components are attached to the printed circuit board, and wherein the layer of the VSD material is provided within the printed circuit board to provide protection to the one or more attached components.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more components attached to the printed circuit board include a semiconductor chip, a circuit element, a liquid crystal display, an organic light emissive display, an electrochromic display, an electrophoretic display, or a back plane driver for an electronic component.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a semiconductor chip, a liquid crystal display, an organic light emissive display, an electrochromic display, an electrophoretic display, or a back plane driver for an electronic component.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a wireless communication device.

18. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device incorporates a liquid crystal display, an organic light emissive display, an electrochromic display, or an electrophoretic display.

19. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more components; and

wherein the layer of VSD material is positioned to protect the one or more components against a transient electrical event; and

wherein the layer of VSD material is positioned to carry current from the transient electrical event to a grounding plane to protect the one or more components.