Toward pulsed power uses for photoconductive semiconductor switches: Closing switches

Conference · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6179591

Loubriel, G M; O'Malley, M W; Zutavern, F J

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
• Resource Relation: Conference: 6. Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers pulsed power conference, Arlington, VA, USA, 29 Jun 1987; Other Information: Paper copy only, copy does not permit microfiche production
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
DOPED MATERIALS
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHES
PHOTOCONDUCTORS
SILICON
CHROMIUM
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLASHOVER
GOLD
LIMITING VALUES
PULSES
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CURRENTS
DATA
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
MATERIALS
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMIMETALS
SWITCHES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
420800* - Engineering- Electronic Circuits & Devices- (-1989)
360603 - Materials- Properties