Calculations of Second Breakdown in Silicon Diodes

Abstract

An electrothermal model computer program is described and used to study the basic physical mechanisms that initiate second breakdown. It is shown that space charge in the reverse-biased diode causes a negative resistance to develop, which in turn leads to filamentation and damage. Various doping profiles are studied. Thermal injection currents are shown to be important for time greater than the thermal time constant. High forward currents and reverse switching into avalanche are calculated. The effects of ionizing radiation are presented. The analogy of the stages of second breakdown with glow and arc discharges in gases is found to be useful.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1982
Accession Number
ADA119296

Entities

People

  • Alford L. Ward

Organizations

  • Harry Diamond Laboratories

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force Facilities
  • Avalanche Diodes
  • Computer Programs
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Electromagnetic Pulses
  • Electron Density
  • Electronics Laboratories
  • Ionizing Radiation
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • P-N Junctions
  • Power Electronics
  • Reliability
  • Semiconductor Devices
  • Semiconductors
  • Space Charge

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Plasma Physics.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.
  • Semiconductor Device Technology

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster