Picosecond‐Range Avalanche Switching Initiated by a Steep High‐Voltage Pulse: Si Bulk Samples Versus Layered <i>pn</i> Junction Structures

Brylevskiy, V. I.; Podolska, N. I.; Smirnova, I.A.; Rodin, Pavel; Grekhov, I. V.

doi:10.1002/pssb.201800520

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 23 publications

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“…Deep-level gallium arsenide structures are used to manufacture switching photoconductive p-i-n structures, [1][2][3] detectors of ionizing radiation, [4][5][6] sharpening diodes, [7,8] and avalanche S-diodes. [9][10][11][12] A high-resistance active region in these structures has either an n-type conductivity (the concentration of free electrons is at least 10 14 cm À3 ) or a p-type conductivity (due to compensation by a deep acceptor impurity, the concentration of free holes is p = 10 7 -10 12 cm À3 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplasma Breakdown in GaAs‐Based Avalanche S‐Diodes Doped with Deep Fe Acceptors

Prudaev

Kopyev

Oleinik

2023

Physica Status Solidi (b)

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The article reports investigations into the microplasma breakdown in GaAs‐based avalanche S‐diodes doped with deep Fe acceptor impurities. The experiment shows the effect of current limitation in a reverse I–V curve with “soft” avalanche breakdown. It proposes 2D single microplasma models and calculates I–V curves of diodes with a deep impurity during microplasma breakdown. By comparing experimental and calculation data, authors propose an explanation for the effect of current limitation during avalanche breakdown. The effect is associated with capture of avalanche holes at negatively charged Fe centers, which enhances the depletion region and minimizes the maximum electric field in a reverse‐biased p–n junction of an S‐diode.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplasma Breakdown in GaAs‐Based Avalanche S‐Diodes Doped with Deep Fe Acceptors

Prudaev

Kopyev

Oleinik

2023

Physica Status Solidi (b)

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Spatiotemporal modes of fast avalanche switching of high-voltage layered semiconductor structures: From subnano to picosecond range

Rodin

Иванов

2020

Journal of Applied Physics

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The effect of delayed impact ionization breakdown initiated in high-voltage Si or GaAs p+nn+ diode by a steep voltage ramp leads to 100 ps avalanche transient from blocking to conducting state. Here, we demonstrate that qualitatively different inner mechanisms—or spatiotemporal modes—can be responsible for superfast high-voltage avalanche switching. The well-known mechanism based on TRApped Plasma Avalanche Triggered Transit (TRAPATT)-like ionizing front passage is compared with three novel spatiotemporal switching scenarios. The first of these novel modes corresponds to a new type of ionizing front travelling across the structure faster than the saturated drift velocity. Another corresponds to the quasiuniform avalanche breakdown of the whole n base. The last one—the “back-stroke” mode—takes place when switching occurs only in the part of the device cross section. For these novel modes, the calculated switching time (tens of picoseconds) is several times smaller than for well-known TRAPATT-like front (∼100 ps). We analyze all four spatiotemporal modes in their connection with the device structural parameters. By means of numerical simulations, we demonstrate that varying only one parameter of a p+nn+ structure—the n base dopant concentration—it is possible to completely change the inner dynamics. Our analysis reveals that subnanosecond—100 ps or less—switching time may be determined either by the ionizing front passage time or by the internal “discharge” time of the device via generated electron–hole plasma.

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A fast avalanche Si diode with a 517 μ m low-doped region

Kesar¹,

Raizman²,

Atar³

et al. 2020

Applied Physics Letters

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A silicon-avalanche shaper/sharpener is a fast-closing semiconductor switch. For positive voltages, it is activated by a high-voltage pulse at its cathode, and, when turned on, the current through the device rises rapidly. Using Synopsys TCAD software, a p+−n−n+ diode is numerically studied. It was shown that for the case of a high-doped active n region, 1014 cm−3, the breakdown process exhibits a fast electric field propagation, as expected. For a low doped active n region, <1011 cm−3, the electric field spreads uniformly along the structure. For this case, we show that the rise time, of the order of 100 ps, is not limited by the active region thickness, allowing the use of a thicker substrate in order to increase the operating voltage. A p+−n−n+ diode was fabricated on a thick, 525 μm, float-zone n-type Si (100) substrate, with a resistivity of 104 Ω cm. The active region, n<1012 cm−3, was 517 μm. When a stack of five, 8 mm2, diodes was driven by an ∼100 kV, 2.26 ns rise time pulse, the output voltage was 46 kV with the rise time and rise rate per diode of 215 ps and 38.4 kV/ns, respectively. When a single, 4 mm2, diode was driven by a 14 kV, 1 ns rise time pulse, the output on a 50 Ω load was around 8 kV, 100 ps, with a rise rate of 57 kV/ns. These results exceed the present state-of-the-art diodes. Furthermore, the thick active region eliminates current fabrication process difficulties such as deep diffusion or thick epitaxial layers.

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Picosecond‐Range Avalanche Switching Initiated by a Steep High‐Voltage Pulse: Si Bulk Samples Versus Layered pn Junction Structures

Cited by 5 publications

References 23 publications

Microplasma Breakdown in GaAs‐Based Avalanche S‐Diodes Doped with Deep Fe Acceptors

Microplasma Breakdown in GaAs‐Based Avalanche S‐Diodes Doped with Deep Fe Acceptors

Spatiotemporal modes of fast avalanche switching of high-voltage layered semiconductor structures: From subnano to picosecond range

A fast avalanche Si diode with a 517 μ m low-doped region

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