OPTICALLY ACTIVATED AVALANCHE MODE BULK SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCH

THIS PROPOSAL DESCRIBES AN OPTICALLY ACTIVATED GALLIUM ARSENIDE BULK SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCH OPERATED IN THE AVALANCHEMODE. TWO 120 WATT FIBER-OPTICALLY COUPLED GALLIUM ARSENIDE LASER ARRAYS DRIVE THE SWITCH. THE DEVICE IS DIASED TOA SUBSTANTIAL FRACTION OF THE VOLTAGE REQUIRED FOR SELF-BREAK DOWN. THE LASERS CREATE SUFFICIENT ELECTRON HOLE PAIRS IN THE SEMI-INSULATING GALLIUM ARSNEIDE, SO THAT AVALANCHE BREAKDOWN OCCURS. THE GALLIUM ARSENIDE IS THUS SWITCHED FROM A SEMI-INSULATING STATE TOHIGH CONDUCTION. THE AVALANCHE GAIN MECHANISM GREATLY REDUCES THE LASER DRIVE REQUIREMENT OVER THAT REQUIRED BY LINWAR MODE OPTICALLY ACTIVATED DEVICES. THIS AVALANCHE MODE OF OPERATION OF A B BULK SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCH PRODUCES SUBNANOSECOND PULSES. IT IS MORE COMPACT AND MORE ECONOMICAL THAN DEVICES OPERATEDARRAYS. THE DEVICE DESCRIBED WILL PRODUCE 100 PICOSECOND, 1 KV PULSES WITH LOW JITTER AND IS CAPABLE OF OPERATING AT AT A PULSE REPETITION FREQUENCY OF 0.5 KILOHERTZ.