A Novel High Power Optothyristor Based on AlGaAs/GaAs for Pulsed Power-Switching Applications

Jian H. Zhao; Maurice Weiner

doi:10.1109/16.285037

A Novel High Power Optothyristor Based on AlGaAs/GaAs for Pulsed Power-Switching Applications

Jian H. Zhao, Maurice Weiner

School of Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Double-side molecular beam epitaxial growth on a thick LEC-grown semi-insulating (SI) GaAs wafer has been used to demonstrate a novel high power optothyristor for pulsed power-switching applications. The optothyristor has a P+N-SI-PN+thyristor-like structure with the capital P and N stand for the wider bandgap optical window material, AlGaAs, and the SI stands for a 650 pm SI-GaAs substrate. With the “insertion" of the SI-GaAs bulk material into the conventional P+NPN+ thyristor structure and the use of wider bandgap AlGaAs, the device has achieved a record high performance compared to the existing GaAs or AlGaAs/GaAs based epitaxial thyristors. The performance of the optothyristors under forward bias has been characterized, including 1) the low field dynamic current-voltage characteristics to show post-triggering carrier injections, 2) the switched-current waveforms with varying device blocking voltage and from which the turn-on speed di/dt, and 3) the dependence of the switched-current amplitude on the laser triggering position.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	819-825
Number of pages	7
Journal	IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Volume	41
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/16.285037
State	Published - May 1994

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1109/16.285037

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@article{44dada2087a64151ae530db12306fe9c,

title = "A Novel High Power Optothyristor Based on AlGaAs/GaAs for Pulsed Power-Switching Applications",

abstract = "Double-side molecular beam epitaxial growth on a thick LEC-grown semi-insulating (SI) GaAs wafer has been used to demonstrate a novel high power optothyristor for pulsed power-switching applications. The optothyristor has a P+N-SI-PN+thyristor-like structure with the capital P and N stand for the wider bandgap optical window material, AlGaAs, and the SI stands for a 650 pm SI-GaAs substrate. With the “insertion{"} of the SI-GaAs bulk material into the conventional P+NPN+ thyristor structure and the use of wider bandgap AlGaAs, the device has achieved a record high performance compared to the existing GaAs or AlGaAs/GaAs based epitaxial thyristors. The performance of the optothyristors under forward bias has been characterized, including 1) the low field dynamic current-voltage characteristics to show post-triggering carrier injections, 2) the switched-current waveforms with varying device blocking voltage and from which the turn-on speed di/dt, and 3) the dependence of the switched-current amplitude on the laser triggering position.",

author = "Zhao, {Jian H.} and Maurice Weiner",

note = "Funding Information: Manuscript received March 4, 1993; revised September 13, 1993. The review of this paper was arranged by Associate Editor T. P. Chow. J. Zhao{\textquoteright}s and T. Burke{\textquoteright}s work was supported by NSF through Grant Number ECS-91 14689 and BMDO/IST through Grant Number N000149310756 managed by Dr. G. Roy of ONR. A. Chin{\textquoteright}s and J. Ballingall{\textquoteright}s research at GE was supported by AFOSR Contract Number F49620-9 1 -C-0044. J. Zhao is with the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08855-0909, USA. T. Burke and M. Weiner are with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, EPS Directorate, Fort Monmouth, NJ 07703, USA. A. Chin and J. M. Ballingall are with the Electronics Laboratory, General Electric Co., Syracuse, NY 13221, USA. IEEE Log Number 940085 1.",

year = "1994",

month = may,

doi = "10.1109/16.285037",

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AU - Weiner, Maurice

N1 - Funding Information: Manuscript received March 4, 1993; revised September 13, 1993. The review of this paper was arranged by Associate Editor T. P. Chow. J. Zhao’s and T. Burke’s work was supported by NSF through Grant Number ECS-91 14689 and BMDO/IST through Grant Number N000149310756 managed by Dr. G. Roy of ONR. A. Chin’s and J. Ballingall’s research at GE was supported by AFOSR Contract Number F49620-9 1 -C-0044. J. Zhao is with the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08855-0909, USA. T. Burke and M. Weiner are with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, EPS Directorate, Fort Monmouth, NJ 07703, USA. A. Chin and J. M. Ballingall are with the Electronics Laboratory, General Electric Co., Syracuse, NY 13221, USA. IEEE Log Number 940085 1.

PY - 1994/5

Y1 - 1994/5

N2 - Double-side molecular beam epitaxial growth on a thick LEC-grown semi-insulating (SI) GaAs wafer has been used to demonstrate a novel high power optothyristor for pulsed power-switching applications. The optothyristor has a P+N-SI-PN+thyristor-like structure with the capital P and N stand for the wider bandgap optical window material, AlGaAs, and the SI stands for a 650 pm SI-GaAs substrate. With the “insertion" of the SI-GaAs bulk material into the conventional P+NPN+ thyristor structure and the use of wider bandgap AlGaAs, the device has achieved a record high performance compared to the existing GaAs or AlGaAs/GaAs based epitaxial thyristors. The performance of the optothyristors under forward bias has been characterized, including 1) the low field dynamic current-voltage characteristics to show post-triggering carrier injections, 2) the switched-current waveforms with varying device blocking voltage and from which the turn-on speed di/dt, and 3) the dependence of the switched-current amplitude on the laser triggering position.

AB - Double-side molecular beam epitaxial growth on a thick LEC-grown semi-insulating (SI) GaAs wafer has been used to demonstrate a novel high power optothyristor for pulsed power-switching applications. The optothyristor has a P+N-SI-PN+thyristor-like structure with the capital P and N stand for the wider bandgap optical window material, AlGaAs, and the SI stands for a 650 pm SI-GaAs substrate. With the “insertion" of the SI-GaAs bulk material into the conventional P+NPN+ thyristor structure and the use of wider bandgap AlGaAs, the device has achieved a record high performance compared to the existing GaAs or AlGaAs/GaAs based epitaxial thyristors. The performance of the optothyristors under forward bias has been characterized, including 1) the low field dynamic current-voltage characteristics to show post-triggering carrier injections, 2) the switched-current waveforms with varying device blocking voltage and from which the turn-on speed di/dt, and 3) the dependence of the switched-current amplitude on the laser triggering position.

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A Novel High Power Optothyristor Based on AlGaAs/GaAs for Pulsed Power-Switching Applications

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