An investigation of the dynamic switching properties of 4-layer diodes

The voltage-current relation for 4-layer diodes has been described in the literature and is characterized by regions of high and low positive resistance separated by a region of negative resistance.1,2 The transition between high positive resistance and negative resistance occurs at a potential designated as the breakover or firing potential, Vb. This breakover potential is normally specified in terms of static (d-c) or low-frequency sinusoidal measurements but is, however, a variable dependent on the waveform of the applied voltage. The purpose of this paper is to present experimental data on the variation of breakover potential for various types of applied voltage waveforms, and to give a qualitative explanation of this variation in terms of the breakover process of the 4-layer diode.