Novel Manufacturing Process for Advanced Low-Cost High-Power Epitaxy Silicon Switches

Currently, the US has limited production facilities for opening switches, e.g., DSRDs, which are manufactured with very outdated manufacturing methods and technology, e.g., based on deep diffusion of dopants into a thinned silicon wafer. The goal of this effort is to develop scaled manufacturing processes, manufacture batch quantities, and enable high-volume manufacturing of semiconductor opening and closing switches. Together, these two devices enable a compact stacked >10kV-pulser module. The module having 2 stages: opening switch on DSRD (Drift Step Recovery Diode) which generates an initial pulse, and the next chip-stacked, a closing switch/pulse sharpener SAS (Silicon Avalanche Sharpener) diode. Notice, that DSRD and SAS, packaged and stacked together as one, will work in a single circuit, therefore they must be matched to perform optimally. The effort proposed here includes development of new SOS manufacturing process flows, prototype manufacturing methods, production scale-up, and building a supply chain with emphasis on being able to produce these devices at volume production facilities at low cost to the customer. The Team will also develop stacking and packaging technology for both SAS and DSRD, with a goal to have matched closing and opening stages of a pulse generator for specified pulse voltage levels. The Team has had previous funding from Navy N00014-17-1-3016 OSPRES Grant – from 30SEPT2017 till 29SEPT2022 - “ONR Short Pulse Research, Evaluation and non-SWaP Demonstration for C-sUAS Study.” During that project, the technical feasibility of novel manufacturing process flows to make both DSRDs and SAS were developed – see volume 5 of this proposal. Thus, the team is eligible to apply for Direct to Phase II.