High gain GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switches: switch longevity

Author

Loubriel, G.M. ; Zutavern, F.J. ; Mar, A. ; Baca, A.G. ; Hjalmarson, H.P. ; O´Malley, M.W. ; Denison, G.J. ; Helgeson, W.D. ; Brown, D.J. ; Thornton, R.L. ; Donaldson, R.M.

Author_Institution

Dept. of High Power Electromagn., Sandia Nat. Labs., Albuquerque, NM, USA

fYear

1998

fDate

22-25 Jun 1998

Firstpage

101

Lastpage

104

Abstract

Optically activated, high gain GaAs switches are being tested for many different pulsed power applications that require long lifetime (longevity). The switches have p and n contact metallization (with intentional or unintentional dopants) configured in such a way as to produce p-i-n or n-i-n switches. The longevity of the switches is determined by circuit parameters and by the ability of the contacts to resist erosion. This paper will describe how the switches performed in test-beds designed to measure switch longevity. The best longevity was achieved with switches made with diffused contacts, achieving over 50 million pulses at 10 A and over 2 million pulses at 80 A

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; electrical contacts; gallium arsenide; photoconducting switches; pulsed power switches; semiconductor device metallisation; 10 A; 80 A; GaAs; circuit parameters; diffused contacts; high gain GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switches; intentional dopants; long lifetime; n contact metallization; n-i-n switches; optically activated high gain GaAs switches; p contact metallization; p-i-n switches; pulsed power applications; switch longevity; unintentional dopants; Circuit testing; Contacts; Gallium arsenide; Life testing; Metallization; Optical pulses; Optical switches; PIN photodiodes; Photoconducting devices; Power semiconductor switches;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Power Modulator Symposium, 1998. Conference Record of the 1998 Twenty-Third International

Conference_Location

Rancho Mirage, CA

ISSN

1076-8467

Print_ISBN

0-7803-4244-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MODSYM.1998.741202

Filename

741202