Nondestructive current localization upon high-current nanosecond switching of an avalanche transistor

Very good quantitative agreement was found between the experimental and simulated switching transients of a Si avalanche transistor at extreme currents. Two-dimensional (2-D) simulations were performed using the device simulator ATLAS (Silvaco Inc.). Marked current localization was found, which was of a nondestructive character with nanosecond current pulses due to a very significant reduction in the residual voltage across the transistor at high current densities and specific location of the region of intensive heat generation. The device operates reliably at a sufficiently low repetition rate (of a few kilohertz) despite the very high local temperature (∼750° K) found near the n⁺ collector at the end of the switching transient.