Optically Controlled, High Repetition Rate, High Power Diamond Switches

Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation (AASC) proposes to develop a new type of trigger for a high voltage, high repetition rate diamond switch. AASC has previously developed diamond switches with electron beam triggers. These switches handle 10-20 kV voltage pulses with <50 ns rise/fall times and switch 10-100 A at temperatures up to 375 ¿C with on-state properties comparable to Si and SiC devices. The electron beam triggered switches require 100-300 keV electron sources to trigger switches handling 5-25 kV. If it is possible to replace the high voltage electron beam trigger with a W trigger, overall system architecture would be greatly simplified. In Phase I a set of experiments will be carried out that will show operation at ~100 MHz frequencies with closing and opening times <10 ns, using W radiation as the trigger. In Phase II, the knowledge gained in the Phase I research would be applied to the manufacture and demonstration of prototype W triggered diamond switches designed to switch both high current and high voltage at high frequencies. AASC will establish a product line of devices for several defense and commercial applications immediately following the proposed SBIR funded effort.