Photoconductive semiconductor switch (pcss) recovery
- 25 August 2005
- conference paper
- Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
- p. 412-417
- https://doi.org/10.1109/ppc.1989.767511
Abstract
Attempts to use photoconductive semiconductors as high-power (10-100 kV, 0.1-2 kA) toggling switches with recovery times of 5-100 ns have stimulated the exploration of their recovery mechanisms. We have observed that optically triggered GaAs switches exhibit "lock-on," i.e., when triggered, they do not recover as long as they are holding more than 4-8 kV/cm. Experiments are being performed to determine the minimum recovery time of these switches after lock-on. by immediately reducing their fields or currents. As an alternative to GaAs, Si is a semiconductor that does not exhibit lock-on. It has a very long recovery time (> 100 /spl mu/s) that can be shortened to less than 100 ns with highly concentrated gold doping (/spl ges/10/sup 15//cm/sup 3/). Device models that predict the behavior of PCSS and experiments on the recovery of GaAs and Au:Si switches are presented.Keywords
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