Developments Toward Laser Diode Driven Bistable Photoconductive Switches (BOSS)

Abstract

The Bistable Optically controlled Semiconductor Switch (BOSS) is the only completely controllable high power solid state switch which operates on sub-nanosecond to microsecond time scales. The present state of BOSS technology is discussed, including the limits of operation and potential extensions of these limits. Experiments to measure the electric field distribution during switching and the threshold breakdown fields for small gap (= 10's of micro(m)) GaAs switches are described. From these results, operating parameters for a laser diode controlled BOSS configuration are presented.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1995
Accession Number
ADA637191

Entities

People

  • F. E. Peterkin
  • J. Hudgins
  • K. H. Schoenbach
  • Roger A. Dougal

Organizations

  • Naval Surface Warfare Center

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Conduction Bands
  • Electric Fields
  • Electronics
  • Electrons
  • Energy Bands
  • Laser Diodes
  • Lasers
  • Light Sources
  • Materials
  • Pulsed Power
  • Radiation
  • Semiconductor Lasers
  • Semiconductors
  • Switches
  • Switching
  • Valence Bands

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers
  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems