A Low-Energy-Triggered Bulk Gallium Arsenide Avalanche Semiconductor Switch With Delayed Breakdown

Author

Long Hu ; Jiancang Su ; Zhenjie Ding ; Qingsong Hao

Author_Institution

Key Lab. for Phys. Electron. & Devices, Xi´an Jiaotong Univ., Xi´an, China

Volume

36

Issue

11

fYear

2015

Firstpage

1176

Lastpage

1179

Abstract

This letter presents a low-energy-triggered bulk gallium arsenide (GaAs) avalanche semiconductor switch with delayed breakdown. The actual optical energy contributing to switch triggering is studied with reference to the switching delay. When an optical pulse triggers the cathode of the 0.625-mm thick GaAs avalanche semiconductor switch biased at 5.2 kV, a delay time of 3.7 ns and a switching time of 258 ps are achieved, indicating a low-energy switch triggering energy of 5.6 nJ. The results of a 1-D simulation show good agreement with experimental voltage and optical waveforms.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; avalanche breakdown; gallium arsenide; power semiconductor switches; GaAs; avalanche semiconductor switch; cathode; delayed breakdown; low-energy-triggered bulk gallium arsenide; optical energy; optical pulse trigger; switch triggering; switching delay; time 258 ps; time 3.7 ns; voltage 5.2 kV; Cathodes; Delays; Gallium arsenide; Optical pulses; Optical switches; Ultrafast optics; Avalanche semiconductor switch; avalanche semiconductor switch; delayed breakdown; low-energy triggering; ultrafast switching;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LED.2015.2475698

Filename

7234879