Photoconductive semiconductor switch experiments for pulsed power applications

Zutavern, F.J.; Loubriel, G.M.; O'Malley, M.W.; Shanwald, L. P.; Helgeson, W.D.; McLaughlin, D.L.; McKenzie, Bonnie Beth

doi:10.1109/16.64520

Cited by 103 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…!Jd (1) Gaussian cgs units are used here, c denotes the speed of light, for ThM propagation E=B, and edge effects are neglected. The current density is J=enevd (2) where e is the magnitude of the electron charge, e the conduction electron density and Vdis the drift velocity. If the laser rise time allows conduction electrons to reach steady-state, Vd is a function of the residual field, E0-E applied to the GaAs slab and is shown in Fig.…”

Section: Analysis In the Linear Modementioning

confidence: 99%

<title>Monte Carlo modeling of solid state photoswitches</title>

Rambo

Denavit

1993

SPIE Proceedings

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Large increases in conductivity induced in GaAs and other semiconductors by photoionization allow fast switching by laser light with applications to pulse-power technology and microwave generation. Experiments have shown that under highfield conditions (10 to 50 kY/cm), conductivity may occur either in the linear mode where it is proportional to the absorbed light, in the "lock-on" mode, where it persists after termination of the laser pulse or in the avalanche mode where multiple carriers are generated. We have assembled a self-consistent Monte Carlo code to study these phenomena and in particular to model hot electron effects, which are expected to be important at high field strengths.

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Section: Analysis In the Linear Modementioning

confidence: 99%

<title>Monte Carlo modeling of solid state photoswitches</title>

Rambo

Denavit

1993

SPIE Proceedings

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“…As is typical in semiconductor development, the material choice has been driven by the availability of high quality semiconductor material and material parameters. Initial experiments in the 1970s utilized Si, and GaAs has continued to be popular since the late 1980s [13], [15], [18]- [20]. The introduction of low defect SiC wafers in the early 2000s has sparked a substantial amount of work in SiC PCSSs due to the feasibility of operation at electric field levels previously unachievable [21]- [29].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

High Power Lateral Silicon Carbide Photoconductive Semiconductor Switches and Investigation of Degradation Mechanisms

Mauch

Sullivan

Bullick

et al. 2015

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

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Several generations of high power, lateral, linear mode, intrinsically triggered 4H-SiC photoconductive semiconductor switch designs and their performance are presented. These switches were fabricated from high purity semi-insulating 4H-SiC samples measuring 12.7 mm × 12.7 mm × 0.36 mm and were able to block dc electric fields up to 370 kV/cm with leakage currents less than 10 μA without failure. Switching voltages and currents up to 26 kV and 450 A were achieved with these devices and ON-state resistances of 2 were achieved with 1 mJ of 355 nm laser energy (7 ns FWHM). After fewer than 100 high power switching cycles, these devices exhibited cracks near the metal/SiC interface. Experimental and simulation results investigating the root cause of this failure mechanism are also presented. These results strongly suggest that a transient spike in the magnitude of the electric field at the metal/SiC interface during both switch closing and opening is the dominant cause of the observed cracking.

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“…In the technique of X-ray streak camera, a dc-biased photoconductive switch is used to produce a pair of ramp voltages to drive the deflection plates, which is crucial to the performance of the camera. In the field of ultra-wideband microwave radiation, it needs a PCSS array to achieve the high power radiation, which requires all PCSSs to have high synchronism [5]- [8]. Compared to the conventional switches, high-power PCSS exhibit virtues of high-speed response to laser pulse, higher power, optical electrical isolation, and low triggering laser energy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research on the Failure Mechanism of High-Power GaAs PCSS

Shi

2015

IEEE Trans. Power Electron.

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This paper presents an experimental study on the failure mechanism of high-power Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)-based photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSS). Two of the typical failure scenarios of high-power GaAs PCSS are discussed: 1) a failure of a 3-mm-gap GaAs PCSS at output current of 45 A and 2) the failure of two 2-mm-gap GaAs PCSSs at output currents of 1.45 and 1.8 kA, respectively. The failure mechanisms of these two cases are analyzed and summarized as follows: The failure of high-power GaAs PCSS is mainly dominated by the development of current filaments under low output currents. A large number of energetic carriers in the bulk region of the current filament can cause the dot damage. When the dot damage is dense enough to form a continuous chain connecting the PCSS electrodes, a damage path is created and a catastrophic breakdown occurs. The thermal stress is the main cause of the failure of high-power GaAs PCSS under high current scenarios. The stress can cause local microscopic fracture on the surface of PCSS. At the time when these local microscopic fractures reach a critical level, a macroscopic fracture occurs resulting in a disintegration of the high-power PCSS.Index Terms-Power semiconductor switches, semiconductor device breakdown, semiconductor device reliability, semiconductor device thermal factors, semiconductor switches.

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Photoconductive semiconductor switch experiments for pulsed power applications

Cited by 103 publications

References 10 publications

<title>Monte Carlo modeling of solid state photoswitches</title>

<title>Monte Carlo modeling of solid state photoswitches</title>

High Power Lateral Silicon Carbide Photoconductive Semiconductor Switches and Investigation of Degradation Mechanisms

Research on the Failure Mechanism of High-Power GaAs PCSS

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