Mega and gigawatts-ranges, repetitive mode semiconductor closing and opening switches

The reversely switching dynistor (RSD) turns on simultaneously and uniformly over a semiconductor wafer area. Therefore, a single RSD can switch 2-3/spl times/10/sup 5/ A at pulse duration 5-30/spl times/10/sup -5/ s. A high power all solid-state switch on the base of an RSD stack with an 80 mm silicon wafer diameter was tested at LLNL at 155 kA, 21 kV, 500 /spl mu/s pulse width. A megamperes range all solid-state switch is available. A proton implantation technique was used to get the perfect dynamic parameters of RSDs used in pulse generators for many areas-laser-pumping, waste water and industrial gases cleaning etc. 40 J per pulse, 250 Hz, 30 kV water cleaning pulser based on one RSD was tested at SUI, AL. A new type of diode recovery process-inverse recovery-was designed for gigawatt-range nanosecond opening switches. Due to special diode structure, plasma concentration during the recovery process decreases to zero first at n/sup +/n and then the plasma front moves to the p/sup +/n junction. This process gives an opportunity to combine fast pulse rise-time with high pulse power. Gigawatt-range nanosecond pulse generators with several hundred Hz reprate can be designed on the basis of this process. This paper presents novel semiconductor devices which are capable of switching very high electric power in micro and nanosecond ranges and discusses the main principles of pulse generators designed on the basis of these devices.