Numerical simulation of the avalanche breakdown process in pulse sharpening diodes
- Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Pulse sharpening diodes are used in numerous applications to reduce the rise time of pulses. The principle of operation is that of fast, reversible, delayed avalanche breakdown. The device acts as a fast closing switch. The breakdown process occurs very rapidly but is not instantaneous. This allows for reducing the rise time of the driving pulse. The rise time of a typical kilovolt level pulse can be improved from the nanosecond range to hundreds of picoseconds or less. Use of the pulse sharpening diode in this manner is not restricted to any particular means of pulse generation. One pulse sharpening diode developed by the A.F. Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute, Russian Academy of Science, is called the Silicon Avalanche Shaper (SAS). For the past year and one half, research at The University of New Mexico has involved experimentally verifying the operating parameters of existing pulse generation and sharpening diodes provided by the Ioffe Institute. Numerical modeling of the SAS is now in progress with the goal of understanding the underlying physics of operation of the device. The ultimate goal is to optimize performance by computer simulation rather than empirical methods. This paper describes a method for the dynamic simulation of the avalanche breakdown process in silicon-based pulse sharpening diodes.
- OSTI ID:
- 449493
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960634--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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