Title :
Developments toward laser diode driven bistable photoconductive switches (BOSS)
Author :
Peterkin, F.E. ; Schoenbach, K.H. ; Dougal, R. ; Hudgins, J.
Author_Institution :
Phys. Electron. Res. Inst., Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, VA, USA
Abstract :
The bistable optically-controlled semiconductor switch (BOSS) is the only completely controllable high power solid-state switch which operates on sub-nanosecond to microsecond time scales. The present state of BOSS technology for pulsed power applications is discussed, including the limits of operation and potential extensions of these limits. Experiments to measure the electric field distribution during switching and the threshold breakdown fields for small gap (/spl sime/10´s of /spl mu/m) GaAs switches are described. From these results, operating parameters for a laser diode controlled BOSS configuration are presented.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; electric fields; gallium arsenide; laser beam applications; optical bistability; photoconducting switches; power semiconductor switches; pulsed power switches; semiconductor device testing; GaAs; bistable optically-controlled semiconductor switch; electric field distribution; laser diode-controlled BOSS; operating limits; photoconductive switch developments; pulsed power applications; small gap GaAs switches; solid-state pulsed power switch; threshold breakdown fields; Diode lasers; Electric breakdown; Electric variables measurement; Optical bistability; Optical control; Optical pulses; Optical switches; Photoconductivity; Power semiconductor switches; Solid state circuits;
Conference_Titel :
Pulsed Power Conference, 1995. Digest of Technical Papers., Tenth IEEE International
Conference_Location :
Albuquerque, NM, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-2791-8
DOI :
10.1109/PPC.1995.596507
