Power semiconductor devices for sub-microsecond laser pulse generation

Author

Vitins, J. ; Steiner, J.L. ; Schweizer, A. ; Lawatscg, H.

Author_Institution

ASEA Brown Ltd., Baden, Switzerland

fYear

1988

fDate

20-22 Jun 1988

Firstpage

299

Lastpage

306

Abstract

The authors analyze available devices which are anticipated to have a high potential for submicrosecond pulse generation. Highly integrated reverse-conducting thyristors (RCT) and gate turn-off (GTO) thyristors are established as devices of choice. Their switching properties are characterized and the best suited applications conditions are described. A laboratory submicrosecond pulser has been built for both devices and used to compare the RCT and GTO. For practical reasons it is found that the RCT has advantages over the present-day GTO. The future ideal power semiconductor switch is seen as a combination of both concepts

Keywords

laser accessories; pulse generators; pulsed power technology; semiconductor switches; thyristor applications; RCT; power semiconductor switch; reverse-conducting thyristors; sub-microsecond laser pulse generation; Free electron lasers; Gas lasers; Insulated gate bipolar transistors; Power lasers; Power semiconductor devices; Power semiconductor switches; Pulse generation; Semiconductor lasers; Thyristors; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Power Modulator Symposium, 1988. IEEE Conference Record of the 1988 Eighteenth

Conference_Location

Hilton Head, SC

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MODSYM.1988.26287

Filename

26287