Radiation response of optically-triggered GaAs thyristors

Conference · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/23.45417· OSTI ID:5884589

Carson, R. F.; Hughes, R. C.; Zipperian, T. E.; Weaver, H. T.; Brennan, T. M.; Hammons, B. E.; Klem, J. F.

Gallium arsenide optically-triggered thyristors that exhibit tolerance to high x-ray dose rates have been fabricated. These two-terminal epitaxial devices feature breakover voltages of 18 V to 38 V with no radiation. They trigger at less than 2 volts with only tenths of mW of laser light, but do not trigger at 2 x 10/sup 9/Rad(Si)/s with a bias level as much as 40 to 60 percent of the zero-radiation breakover voltage. When these devices are bombarded with neutrons, the reduced carrier lifetimes results in a decreased sensitivity to triggering by light and ionizing radiation.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5884589
• Report Number(s): SAND-89-0249C; CONF-890723-11; ON: DE89014939
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420800* -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits & Devices-- (-1989)
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CURRENTS
DESIGN
DIFFUSION
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
LASERS
NEUTRON SOURCES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PARTICLE SOURCES
PHOTOCURRENTS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION SOURCES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SWITCHING CIRCUITS
TESTING
THYRISTORS
X-RAY EQUIPMENT
X-RAY SOURCES