Photoconductive semiconductor switches for high power radiation
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Kaman Sciences Corp., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
In this paper we present the results of experiments on Si and GaAs Photoconductive Semiconductor Switches (PCSS). Our goal is to improve their performance for high power electromagnetic pulse generation. For Si, we show ways to alter carrier lifetime achieve higher repetition rates, improvements in switch lifetimes to over 10{sup 7} pulses at high field, and methods that reduce or eliminate thermal runaway and heating. For GaAs, the effects of focused trigger radiation was studied and a further reduction (by a factor of 100) in the required light energy was observed. The gain in these switches is now about 100,000 electrons generated per absorbed or trigger photon. It was further demonstrated that light can be piped through fiber optics to trigger multiple current filaments in GaAs. These results show the ability to control the location of the current filaments.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 6956513
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-92-1171C; CONF-9210166-1; ON: DE92040968
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 4. international conference on ultra-wideband, short-pulse electromagnetics, Brooklyn, NY (United States), 8-10 Oct 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHES
PERFORMANCE
ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSES
GAIN
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
MICROWAVE RADIATION
PHOTOCONDUCTORS
SILICON
AMPLIFICATION
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
PNICTIDES
PULSES
RADIATIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMIMETALS
SWITCHES
426000* - Engineering- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits- (1990-)