Title :
GaAs opto-thyristor for pulsed power applications
Author :
Hur, J.H. ; Hadizad, P. ; Hummel, S.R. ; Dapkus, P. ; Fetterman, H.R. ; Gundersen, M.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng.-Electrophys., Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Abstract :
Results of an investigation of GaAs-based opto-thyristors for pulsed power applications are presented. In this study, semi-insulating GaAs was used for the base layer of the opto-thyristor, and the device was optically triggered with an AlGaAs laser diode. The blocking voltage of the opto-thyristor was ⩾800 V, the peak pulsed current was ~300 A, and di/dt was ⩾1.5×1010 A/s. These results demonstrate that III-V based junction devices have significant potential for pulsed power switching applications
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; photoconducting devices; pulsed power technology; semiconductor junction lasers; thyristors; AlGaAs laser diode; GaAs optothyristor; III-V based junction devices; blocking voltage; peak pulsed current; pulsed power applications; semiconductor; Gallium arsenide; Optical devices; Optical materials; Optical pulses; Optical switches; Power semiconductor switches; Pulse power systems; Substrates; Thyristors; Voltage;
Conference_Titel :
Power Modulator Symposium, 1990., IEEE Conference Record of the 1990 Nineteenth
Conference_Location :
San Diego, CA
DOI :
10.1109/MODSYM.1990.200976
