DocumentCode :
3328607
Title :
Development and characterization of diamond-coated photoconductive switches for stacked Blumlein pulsers
Author :
Davanloo, F. ; Collins, C.B.
Author_Institution :
Center for Quantum Electron., Texas Univ., Richardson, TX, USA
fYear :
2002
fDate :
30 June-3 July 2002
Firstpage :
187
Lastpage :
190
Abstract :
The semiconductor properties of amorphic diamond have been employed to improve the photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) longevity by coating the switch cathode or anode areas or both. If the switch cathode is coated, the tunneling of electrons from amorphic diamond to GaAs during the off-state stage of PCSS operation provides pre-avalanche sites that diffuse conduction current upon switch activation. On the other hand, diamond coating of the switch anode results in increased hold-off characteristics and longer switch lifetimes by blocking the leakage current. In this case the rectifying behavior of the amorphic diamond/GaAs heterojunction operating under reverse bias condition inhibits the conduction until very high fields are reached. This report presents the progress toward improving the high pin switch operation and lifetime in stacked Blumlein pulsers. The switch design options that make optimal use of amorphic diamond coatings for long life operations of avalanche PCSS are given and discussed.
Keywords :
anodes; cathodes; coating techniques; diamond; gallium arsenide; leakage currents; p-n heterojunctions; photoconducting switches; pulse generators; pulsed power supplies; pulsed power switches; rectification; rectifying circuits; GaAs; amorphic diamond; anode coating; cathode coating; conduction current diffusion; diamond-coated photoconductive switches; electrons tunneling; heterojunction; high pin switch operation; leakage current; off-state stage; pre-avalanche sites; rectifying behavior; reverse bias condition; stacked Blumlein pulsers; switch activation; very high fields; Anodes; Cathodes; Coatings; Electrons; Gallium arsenide; Leakage current; Photoconducting devices; Photoconductivity; Switches; Tunneling;
fLanguage :
English
Publisher :
ieee
Conference_Titel :
Power Modulator Symposium, 2002 and 2002 High-Voltage Workshop. Conference Record of the Twenty-Fifth International
ISSN :
1076-8467
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7540-8
Type :
conf
DOI :
10.1109/MODSYM.2002.1189447
Filename :
1189447
Link To Document :
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