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Title: Photoconductive circuit element reflectometer

Abstract

A photoconductive reflectometer for characterizing semiconductor devices at millimeter wavelength frequencies where a first photoconductive circuit element (PCE) is biased by a direct current voltage source and produces short electrical pulses when excited into conductance by short first laser light pulses. The electrical pulses are electronically conditioned to improve the frequency related amplitude characteristics of the pulses which thereafter propagate along a transmission line to a device under test. Second PCEs are connected along the transmission line to sample the signals on the transmission line when excited into conductance by short second laser light pulses, spaced apart in time a variable period from the first laser light pulses. Electronic filters connected to each of the second PCEs act as low-pass filters and remove parasitic interference from the sampled signals and output the sampled signals in the form of slowed-motion images of the signals on the transmission line.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Alexandria, VA
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
867253
Patent Number(s):
US 4896109
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
photoconductive; circuit; element; reflectometer; characterizing; semiconductor; devices; millimeter; wavelength; frequencies; pce; biased; direct; current; voltage; source; produces; electrical; pulses; excited; conductance; laser; light; electronically; conditioned; improve; frequency; related; amplitude; characteristics; thereafter; propagate; transmission; line; device; pces; connected; sample; signals; spaced; apart; time; variable; period; electronic; filters; low-pass; remove; parasitic; interference; sampled; output; form; slowed-motion; images; pass filters; voltage source; light pulses; direct current; transmission line; laser light; spaced apart; semiconductor device; semiconductor devices; electrical pulses; light pulse; pass filter; circuit element; millimeter wavelength; millimeter wave; frequency related; electrical pulse; characterizing semiconductor; low-pass filter; photoconductive circuit; sampled signal; current voltage; wavelength frequencies; amplitude characteristic; conductive circuit; /324/

Citation Formats

Rauscher, Christen. Photoconductive circuit element reflectometer. United States: N. p., 1990. Web.
Rauscher, Christen. Photoconductive circuit element reflectometer. United States.
Rauscher, Christen. 1990. "Photoconductive circuit element reflectometer". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/867253.
@article{osti_867253,
title = {Photoconductive circuit element reflectometer},
author = {Rauscher, Christen},
abstractNote = {A photoconductive reflectometer for characterizing semiconductor devices at millimeter wavelength frequencies where a first photoconductive circuit element (PCE) is biased by a direct current voltage source and produces short electrical pulses when excited into conductance by short first laser light pulses. The electrical pulses are electronically conditioned to improve the frequency related amplitude characteristics of the pulses which thereafter propagate along a transmission line to a device under test. Second PCEs are connected along the transmission line to sample the signals on the transmission line when excited into conductance by short second laser light pulses, spaced apart in time a variable period from the first laser light pulses. Electronic filters connected to each of the second PCEs act as low-pass filters and remove parasitic interference from the sampled signals and output the sampled signals in the form of slowed-motion images of the signals on the transmission line.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/867253}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990}
}