Title :
GaAs-based opto-thyristor for pulsed power applications
Author :
Hur, Jung H. ; Hadizad, Peyman ; Hummel, Steven G. ; Dzurko, Kenneth M. ; Dapkus, P.Daniel ; Fetterman, Harold R. ; Gundersen, Martin A.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng.-Electrophys., Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
fDate :
12/1/1990 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
An optically gated GaAs bipolar junction thyristor, with a semi-insulating base layer, has been studied, and the characteristics of the device as a pulsed power switch are presented. The maximum DC blocking voltage of the device was larger than 800 V, the maximum peak current in pulsed mode was higher than 300 Å, and the current rate of rise was better than 1.5×1010 A/s. These results demonstrate that GaAs-based junction devices have significant potential as switching elements for pulsed power systems requiring very fast closing times
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; photoconducting devices; pulsed power technology; thyristors; DC blocking voltage; GaAs bipolar junction thyristor; closing times; maximum peak current; opto-thyristor; pulsed mode; pulsed power applications; pulsed power switch; semi-insulating base layer; switching elements; Gallium arsenide; III-V semiconductor materials; Optical materials; Optical pulses; Optical switches; Photonic band gap; Power semiconductor switches; Pulse power systems; Thyristors; Voltage;
Journal_Title :
Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on
