Non-oxidized porous silicon-based power AC switch peripheries

Samuel Menard,Angélique Fèvre,Gaël Gautier,Damien Valente,Jérôme Billoué

doi:10.1186/1556-276x-7-566

Abstract

We present in this paper a novel application of porous silicon (PS) for low-power alternating current (AC) switches such as triode alternating current devices (TRIACs) frequently used to control small appliances (fridge, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, coffee makers, etc.). More precisely, it seems possible to benefit from the PS electrical insulation properties to ensure the OFF state of the device. Based on the technological aspects of the most commonly used AC switch peripheries physically responsible of the TRIAC blocking performances (leakage current and breakdown voltage), we suggest to isolate upper and lower junctions through the addition of a PS layer anodically etched from existing AC switch diffusion profiles. Then, we comment the voltage capability of practical samples emanating from the proposed architecture. Thanks to the characterization results of simple Al-PS-Si(P) structures, the experimental observations are interpreted, thus opening new outlooks in the field of AC switch peripheries.

Highlights

Up to now, porous silicon is widely investigated for sensing, photonic, or MEMS applications as it is well summarized in [1], but its mesoporous or microporous electrical properties are not massively exploited
Several research teams have demonstrated that depending on bulk properties and anodic etching conditions, porous silicon behaves like an insulator
Most of AC switches are triode alternating current devices (TRIACs), whose electrical symbol and characteristics are presented in Figures 1 and 2, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Porous silicon is widely investigated for sensing, photonic, or MEMS applications as it is well summarized in [1], but its mesoporous or microporous electrical properties are not massively exploited. Knowing that such p-type layers may be found in power alternating-current (AC) switch technologies, and knowing that insulation is one of the major issues of this kind of structures, it is interesting to study how porous silicon may bring improvements for such devices.

Results

Conclusion