GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switch

Patent · 31 December 1997

OSTI ID:871826

Loubriel, Guillermo M ^[1]; Baca, Albert G ^[2]; Zutavern, Fred J ^[2]

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1. Sandia Park, NM
2. Albuquerque, NM

A high gain, optically triggered, photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) implemented in GaAs as a reverse-biased pin structure with a passivation layer above the intrinsic GaAs substrate in the gap between the two electrodes of the device. The reverse-biased configuration in combination with the addition of the passivation layer greatly reduces surface current leakage that has been a problem for prior PCSS devices and enables employment of the much less expensive and more reliable DC charging systems instead of the pulsed charging systems that needed to be used with prior PCSS devices.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA
• Sponsoring Organization: United States Department of Energy
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
• Patent Number(s): US 5804815
• OSTI ID: 871826
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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reduces
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structure
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