Physical basis for high-power semiconductor nanosecond opening switches

Abstract

The physical basis for semiconductor nanosecond opening switches is a specially organized recovery process in the diode. There are two modes of this process: junction recovery (JR) mode and silicon opening switch (SOS) mode. In the JR mode, the current interruption occurs due to the recovery of pn-junction blocking capability, and in the SOS mode, due to the drastic increase in resistance of low-doped part of p-layer, where reverse current density exceeds the saturated value j/sub r/>qN/sub d/V/sub s/. JR mode is preferable for generators with a pulse rise-time of 0.5-3 ns and a pulse of power of less than 50-80 MW, and SOS mode at pulse rise-time of more than 5 ns for any pulse power and at any pulse rise-time if power is higher than 100 MW.