Toward pulsed power uses for photoconductive semiconductor switches: Closing switches
Conference
·
OSTI ID:6179591
Recent results on Photoconductive Semiconductor Switches (PCSS) are presented. For Si and GaAs switches surface flashover, contact degradation, and current limitations are addressed. For Si samples have been obtained that, without being triggered, withstand fields of up to 85 kV/cm produced by an approx.2-..mu..s wide voltage pulse. The 1-inch diameter, Si samples (''gap length'' of 1.5 cm) have been switched at 36 kV/cm (approx. =54 kV) into an approx.30-..cap omega.. load with a current of 703 A. For GaAs, most samples can withstand, without being triggered, 100 kV/cm. At low electric fields the GaAs samples behave as switches that close during the laser pulse and then open in nanoseconds. At high voltages GaAs does not open. In this mode, called lock-on, up to 42.7 kV/cm (64.1 kV) has been switched. The lock-on mode can be triggered with small laser powers. Plans are being made to use large arrays of GaAs samples to switch 1 MV and 156 kA.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 6179591
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-87-0017C; CONF-870656-38; ON: DE87012020
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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·
OSTI ID:5272909
Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360603 -- Materials-- Properties
42 ENGINEERING
420800* -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits & Devices-- (-1989)
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CHROMIUM
CURRENTS
DATA
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLASHOVER
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GOLD
INFORMATION
LIMITING VALUES
MATERIALS
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
PHOTOCONDUCTORS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
PULSES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHES
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SWITCHES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
360603 -- Materials-- Properties
42 ENGINEERING
420800* -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits & Devices-- (-1989)
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CHROMIUM
CURRENTS
DATA
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLASHOVER
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GOLD
INFORMATION
LIMITING VALUES
MATERIALS
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
PHOTOCONDUCTORS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
PULSES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHES
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SWITCHES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS