Photo-activated Charge Domain Research Articles

Mechanism of avalanche charge domain transport for nonlinear mode of GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switches

Photoconductive semiconductor switch is of significance in the fields of ultafast electronics, high-repetition rate and high-power pulse power system, and THz radiation. The mechanism of the nonlinear mode of the switch is an important area of study. In this work, stable nonlinear wave forms are obtained by a semi-insulating GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switch triggered by a 5-ns laser pulse with pulsed energy of 1 mJ at a wavelength of 1064 nm under a bias of 2750 V. Based on two-photon absorption model, the photogenerated carrier concentration is calculated. The theory analysis and calculation result show that the photogenerated carrier can compensate for the lack of intrinsic carrier, and lead to the nucleation of photo-activated charge domain. According to transferred-electron effect principium, the electric field inside and outside the domain are calculated, indicating that the electric field within the domain can reach the electric field which is much larger than intrinsic breakdown electric field of GaAs material, and results in strong impact avalanche ionization in the bulk of the GaAs switch. According to the avalanche space charge domain, the typical experimental phenomena of nonlinear mode for GaAs switch are analyzed and calculated, the analysis and calculations are in excellent agreement with the experimental results. Based on drift-diffusion model and negative differential conductivity effect, the transient electric field in the bulk of the switch is simulated numerically under the optical triggering condition. The simulation results show that there are moving multiple charge domains with a peak electric filed as high as the intrinsic breakdown electric field of GaAs within the switch. This work provides the experimental evidence and theoretical support for studying the generation mechanism of the nonlinear photoconductive semiconductor switch and the improvement of the photo-activated charge domain theory.

Multi-Energy Valley Scattering Characteristics for a SI-GaAs-Based Terahertz Photoconductive Antenna in Linear Mode

In this paper, the relationship between the terahertz radiation and the spatial distribution of photogenerated carriers under different bias electric field is studied. Terahertz pulses and the photocurrent of SI-GaAs photoconductive antenna are measured by the terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system. The occupancy rate for photogenerated carriers for different energy valleys is obtained by comparing the photocurrent of terahertz field integrating with respect to time with the photocurrent measured by oscilloscope. Results indicate that 93.04% of all photogenerated carriers are located in the Γ valley when the bias electric field is 3.33 kV/cm, and 68.6% of all photogenerated carriers are transferred to the satellite valley when the bias electric field is 20.00 kV/cm. With the bias electric field increasing, the carrier occupancy rate for the satellite valley tends to saturate at 72.16%. In order to obtain the carrier occupancy rate for the satellite valley and saturate value at the high bias electric field, an ensemble Monte Carlo simulation based on the theory of photo-activated charge domain is developed.

Investigation on the surface flashover of high gain SI‐GaAs PCSS

AbstractThe GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) is generally recognized currently as a leading power electronic device for its unique advantages. A major limitation of PCSS has been its surprisingly low voltage threshold for the surface flashover found when PCSS works at the high gain mode. In this paper, the surface flashover of high gain PCSS is studied by experiments. We propose that the non‐uniform distribution of the surface field that resulted from the photo‐activated charge domain (PACD) and the gas desorption is the key cause of such reducing of the SF field. SF6 ambient dielectric is efficient in increasing the surface field, and the experiment results show that the PCSS we developed could resist a voltage as high as 20 kV/cm when the ambient dielectric is 3 atmospheric SF6. This conclusion has the practical application of significance to improve the performance of the high gain PCSS, which is severely limited by the premature breakdown effects.

The Role of the Photo-Generated Carrier in Surface Flashover of the GaAs Photoconductive Semiconductor Switch

The development of Gallium arsenide photoconductive semiconductor switch has been hampered by the surface flashover. The surface flashover threshold with the laser excitation is far lower than the one without the laser excitation. In this paper, the phenomena of surface flashover, including the infrared video, flashover spectrum, and the voltage waveforms are presented to research their work mechanism. The dynamic development process of surface flashover is divided into four typical states. Based on the 1-D time domain finite element method, the role of the photo-generated carrier in the surface flashover is analyzed. Our results suggest that the photo-activated charge domain (PACD) will enhance the local electric field and result in the surface flashover occurrence between the electrodes and semiconductors. So the atoms of GaAs semiconductors and electrodes are involved in the surface flashover. According to the PACD theory, the experimental phenomena can be explained reasonably.

A New Phenomenon in Semi-Insulating 4H-SiC Photoconductive Semiconductor Switches

A new oscillational phenomenon has been found in high-biased semi-insulating (SI) 4H-SiC photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSSs) with high densities of vanadium and nitrogen dopants, and this oscillational phenomenon has no relationship with the laser wavelength, bias voltage, the charge capacitor, and the shape/size of the 4H-SiC PCSS. This paper shows that the photo activated charge domain theory in SI GaAs PCSS may explain this phenomenon. Due to the high densities of vanadium and nitrogen dopants, the intervalley scattering may occur in the 4H-SiC PCSS, and the space charge field region will appear in the 4H-SiC PCSS for the electrons accumulation. This region looks upon an equivalent capacitor, when the accumulation of the electrons is over, the equivalent capacitor will discharge, and the oscillational phenomenon appears.

Research progress on avalanche multiplication GaAs photoconductive terahertz emitter

GaAs photoconductive switch illuminated by a femto-second laser has been widely used in a terabertz (THz) time domain spectroscopy system as a THz wave emission antenna. Now, all of the GaAs photoconductive switches are used in linear mode. However, when the GaAs photoconductive switch operates in an avalanche multiplication mode, the power capacity of output ultrafast electric pulse is much higher than that in a linear mode. So far, nobody has proposed the idea of generating THz waves by using the GaAs photoconductive switches in the avalanche multiplication mode. In this paper, we report the feasibility and research progress of using the GaAs photoconductive switches in the avalanche multiplication mode as the THz sources. By theoretical analysis and experimental research, some results are obtained experimentally as follows. 1) The GaAs photoconductive antenna can operate in an avalanche multiplication mode when illuminated by a femto-second laser pulse with an energy on the order of nJ. 2) The maintaining time of the avalanche multiplication mode, i.e, lock-on period, can be reduced by the quenching mode of photo-activated charge domain. These results lay the foundation for generating the high intensity THz emission by the GaAs photoconductive antenna with the avalanche multiplication mechanism.

Experimental investigation of limit space charge accumulation mode operation in a semi-insulating GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switch

Experiments with the limited space-charge accumulation (LSA) mode of oscillation in a large gap semi-insulating (SI) GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) are discussed. It has been observed that growth and drift of a photo-activated charge domain (PACD) are quenched only when the bias voltage is more than twice the threshold voltage. The original negative resistance characteristics are directly utilized in the LSA mode; during LSA operation the spatial average of the electric field varies over a large portion of the negative differential mobility region of the velocity—electric field characteristic. The work efficiency of an SI GaAs PCSS is remarkably enhanced by electric field excursions into the positive resistance region when the total electric field is only below the threshold part of the time. The LSA mode can only operate in the certain conditions that satisfy the quenching of the accumulation layer and the smaller initial domain voltage.

The reverse mode of the photo activated charge domain in high field biased semi-insulating GaAs

The nonlinear accumulation of the photogenerated electrons in high field biased SI-GaAs has been defined as photo activated charge domain (PACD). The transient transport dynamics of the PACD is investigated. The result shows that the PACD, working as a reverse gun dipole domain when biased electric field much higher than 4 kV/cm, and the reverse mode of the PACD could dominate the electric field shielding by its main electric field ultrafast and exponential rising against the bias field. Such mechanisms could play an important role in GaAs THz antenna, GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switch, and the other ultrafast GaAs devices.

Infrared Inhibition of Flashover in Photoconductive Semiconductor Switch in High Electric Field

Semi-insulating GaAs photoconductive switches hold great potential for use in high-voltage switching applications. However, the utility is restricted by surface flashover, which resulted in breakdown in previous experiments. In this letter, we designed a configuration based on infrared inhibition to suppress the surface flashover in high-voltage operation. Bias voltage can be up to 32 kV with a 0.9-kA switching current. Results show that transport of photo-activated charge domain is interrupted by the formation of new domains due to second laser trigger.

Experimental Research on Inhibition of Surface Flashover Based on High Power Gallium Arsenide Photoconductive Switches Triggered by Laser

Semi-insulating gallium arsenide (GaAs) photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSS) have great potential for high voltage switching application, however, the utility is restricted by surface flashover which would result in breakdown. In this paper, a model of photo-activated charge wave was proposed based on the theory of photo-activated charge domain (PACD) in GaAs PCSS, and moderate suppression of PACD formation by loading the semiconductor surface with dielectric material was investigated theoretically and experimentally. Current as high as 3.7 kA was obtained at 28 kV, implying that this method can effectively inhibit the surface flashover and improve the service life of DC charged GaAs PCSS.

Velocity of current filament at the high gain mode of GaAs power photoconductive switches

Many of the characteristics, especially transient turn-on, of high gain mode photoconductive semiconductor switches can be explained by a model similar to a gas streamer model in this paper. Based on the gas discharge theory and photoactivated charge domain model, the mechanism of current filament at the high gain mode of GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSSs) was discussed. It is pointed out that both the carrier density and the regional electric field satisfy two critical conditions for the formation and development of streamers. Experimental phenomena indicate that the turn-on time is considerably shorter than the time required for the transit of carriers crossing the electrode gap of the device at saturation transfer velocity. Moreover, the transient turn-on characteristic was analyzed and the ultra-fast velocity of current filament was calculated. The calculated results are in agreement with the experimental results.

High Current Operation of a Semi-insulating Gallium Arsenide Photoconductive Semiconductor Switch Triggering a Spark Gap

A transient peak current as high as 5.6 kA is obtained by a GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) in series with a spark gap. Based on the characteristics of the GaAs PCSS, mechanisms of discharge between the PCSS and the spark gap are discussed. It is implied that a hybrid operation mode of photo-activated charge domain occurs due to the superposition of the bias voltage and the instantaneous radio frequency voltage.

Transient thermal effect of semi-insulating GaAs photoconductive switch

Results of experiments of the 4 mm gap semi-insulating(SI) GaAs photoconductive switch triggered by 1064 nm, 1.0 mJ pulse laser showed the nonlinear mode when the bias field was 3800 V. Under the same bias electric field and trigger light energy conditions, the switch outputs stably nonlinear electrical pulses, and the switch surface injury mark is caused by filamentation after 1500 times triggering. Analysis shows that under given conditions of trigger energy and electric field, two transient thermal effects occur in the switch chip, namely the thermal relaxation and photoactivated charge domain-phonon drag, respectively. Thermal relaxation time is shortened to the order of picoseconds or subpicoseconds, thermal relaxation process leads to the thermal conduction relaxation. When photoactivated charge domain moves at 107cm/s speed from cathode to anode, switch chip transient temperature makes relaxation oscillations owing to these effects, and the rapid increase of temperature in the chip is constrained. Photoactivated charge domain-phonon drag effect transmits in the direction of the dislocation movement, the temperature in mobile region increases when the flow of thermal energy carried by the phonons was concentrated in the movement plane, the injury of filamentation is produced by superposition and cumulation of mobile tracks.

Current limiting effects of photoactivated charge domain in semi-insulating GaAs photoconductive switch

The photoactivated charge domain (PACD) plays an important role in the nonlinear modes of semi-insulating GaAs and LnP photoconductive switches. The formation and transporting process of photoactivated charge domain are discussed in this paper, which indicate that it is the shielded electric field that induced the unique distribution and evolution law of the PACD. The PACD restricts space-charge current in the photoconductor and the output current of the photoconductive switch by its shielded effect.

Ultrafast rising of output electric impulse of lock-on model of semi-insulated GaAs photoconductive switches

In the lock-on model of semi-insulating GaAs photoconductive switches，the output current pulse has ultra-fast rise character，the rise time can be even less than that of the laser pulse. Fluid model is used to simulate the transport of photo-induced carrier. The results show that photo-activated charge domain formed in the transport process of carriers is the main cause of ultra-fast rise time. Further studies on the establishment of photo-activated charge domain and the absorption process show：1. The photo-activated charge domains during the establishment enhance the electron density gradient. 2. When the photo-activated charge domains are absorbed by the anode，rapid decline of bias electric voltage will accelerate the rise rate of output current pulse. Due to the two processes, the output current pulse in the lock-on model shows ultra-fast rise character.

Analysis of operation mechanism of semi-insulating GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switches

This paper reports that the quenched-domain mode of luminous charge domain has been observed in semi-insulating (SI) GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSSs) and the typical characteristics of lock-on effect have been explained based on the model of luminous charge domain. It is shown that the domain is formed by photogenerated carriers and the quenched domain is due to the interaction of the circuit self-excitation and transferred-electron oscillation in the bulk of switch. During the transit of the domain, the bias electric field (larger than Gunn threshold) across the switch is modulated by the ac electric field, when the instantaneous bias electric field is swinging below the sustaining field (the minimum electric field required to support the domain), and then the quenched-domain mode is obtained. When PCSSs operate in nonlinear mode, the ultrahigh electric field of domain induced by photogenerated carriers leads to strong impact ionization accompanied by electron-hole recombination radiation in the switch. Therefore new avalanche domains can be nucleated uninterruptedly by the carriers generated by absorption of recombination radiation which causes the effective carrier velocities to be larger than the saturation velocity. Lock-on field resulted from the length proportional number of domains and steadfast electric fields inside and outside the domains, and the recovery of lock-on effect is caused by the domain quenching. The calculations agree with the experimental results, and the analysis also indicates that SI-GaAs PCSS is a photoactivated charge domain device.

Multiple charge domains model for the lock-on effect in GaAs power photoconductive switches

This paper reports that the lock-on field of semi-insulating (SI) GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSSs) was measured under different bias voltages. Based on the experimental results and the transferred-electron effect, a model for the lock-on effect in GaAs PCSSs is proposed. It is shown that the charge domain with an ultrahigh electric field is due to a high photogenerated carrier density, which gives rise to intensive impact ionization accompanied by electron–hole recombination radiation within the domain. Since new domains can be nucleated uninterruptedly by the carriers generated by absorption of recombination radiation, the forefront domain crosses the switch at a speed alternating between the photon velocity and the carrier saturated drift velocity, which makes the observed velocity of carriers larger than the saturated drift velocity. The lock-on field results from the fixed number of a moving train of avalanching charge domains, the steady-state domains electric fields and the steadfast external electric field of the domains. The recovery of the lock-on effect is caused by domain quenching. The calculations agree with the experimental results. Moreover, the analytical results indicate that SI-GaAs PCSS is essentially a type of photo-activated charge domain device.