We have experimentally studied the dynamics of impact-ionization switching in semiconductor structures without p – n junctions when subnanosecond high-voltage pulses are applied. Silicon n ^+– n – n ^+ type structures and volume ZnSe samples with planar ohmic contacts exhibit reversible avalanche switching to the conducting state within about 200 ps, which resembles the well-known phenomenon of delayed avalanche breakdown in reverse-biased p ^+– n – n ^+ diode structures. Experimental data are compared to the results of numerical simulations.
Theoretical analysis of wave processes in the coaxial line during subnanosecond switching of high-voltage pulse sharpening diode is presented. The relations between amplitudes of the incident, reflected and transmitted waves and experimentally measured voltages as well as between these voltages and triggering generator pulse are established. The effect of the diode voltage doubling before switching is calculated. On the basis of the obtained relations and experimental data the time dependence of the sharpening diode reflection coefficient is determined and the wave dynamics in the coaxial line during avalanche switching are reconstructed.
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