GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switch

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998

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 (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• 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

Related Subjects

gaas
photoconductive
semiconductor
switch
optically
triggered
pcss
implemented
reverse-biased
structure
passivation
layer
intrinsic
substrate
gap
electrodes
device
configuration
combination
addition
greatly
reduces
surface
current
leakage
prior
devices
enables
employment
expensive
reliable
dc
charging
systems
pulsed
photoconductive semiconductor
passivation layer
greatly reduces
gaas substrate
semiconductor switch
optically triggered
current leakage
reduces surface
greatly reduce
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