Gallium arsenide (GaAs)-based photoconductive switches for pulse generation and sampling applications in the nanosecond regime

Author

Bell, Barry A. ; Perrey, Arnold G. ; Sadler, Robert A.

Author_Institution

NBS, Gaithersburg, MD, USA

Volume

38

Issue

1

fYear

1989

fDate

2/1/1989 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

92

Lastpage

97

Abstract

The design is described of a set of optoelectronic switches having an interdigitated electrode structure and implemented with high-resistivity GaAs photoconductive substrates. A theoretical analysis is developed for determining the pulsed light ON-state resistance (peak conductance), OFF-state (dark) resistance, and the associated capacitances for the various designed gap geometries. Data are provided on the processing steps used in successfully fabricating a working set of switches based on the theoretical design. A test apparatus is used to make measurements of the pulsed light conductance of these devices having nominal gap spacings of 5, 10, 20 and 40 μm

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; photoconducting devices; photodetectors; pulse generators; semiconductor switches; switching circuits; 10 micron; 20 micron; 40 micron; 5 micron; GaAs; III-V semiconductors; dark resistance; gap geometries; gap spacings; interdigitated electrode structure; nanosecond regime; optoelectronic switches; peak conductance; photoconductive substrates; photoconductive switches; pulse generation; pulsed light ON-state resistance; pulsed light conductance; sampling; Capacitance; Electrodes; Gallium arsenide; Optical pulses; Optical sensors; Optical switches; Photoconducting devices; Photoconductivity; Pulse generation; Sampling methods;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Instrumentation and Measurement, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9456

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/19.20004

Filename

20004