Avalanche photoconductive switching

Conference · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5446232

Pocha, M. D.; Druce, R. L.; Wilson, M. J.; Hofer, W. W.

This paper describes work being done at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on the avalanche mode of operation of laser triggered photoconductive switches. We have been able to generate pulses with amplitudes of 2 kV--35 kV and rise times of 300--500 ps, and with a switching gain (energy of output electrical pulse vs energy of trigger optical pulse) of 10{sup 3} to over 10{sup 5}. Switches with two very different physical configurations and with two different illumination wavelengths (1.06 {mu}m, 890 nm) exhibit very similar behavior. The avalanche switching behavior, therefore, appears to be related to the material parameters rather than the optical wavelength or switch geometry. Considerable further work needs to be done to fully characterize and understand this mode of operation. 3 refs., 6 figs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5446232
• Report Number(s): UCRL-100354; CONF-8907168-1; ON: DE90002980
• Resource Relation: Conference: 7. IEEE pulsed power conference, Monterey, CA (USA), 11-14 Jul 1989
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHES
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRODES
FABRICATION
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
LASERS
PHOTOCONDUCTORS
PULSE TECHNIQUES
TESTING
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
EQUIPMENT
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SWITCHES
426000* - Engineering- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits- (1990-)