Patent · US Expired

High speed, high power plasma thyristor circuit

US3945028A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
11References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 26, 1973
Grant dateMar 16, 1976
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 26, 1993

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S7/282
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A plasma thyristor circuit is provided for generating high power, ultra-short duration electrical signals. A silicon semiconductor body has first, second and third impurity regions therein with a PN junction formed at the transition between the first and second or the second and third impurity regions. The second impurity region has an impurity concentration of less than about 5 .times. 10.sup.14 atoms/cm.sup.3, and a width of greater than about 80 microns. The ratio of the punch-through voltage of the second impurity region to the reverse breakdown voltage of the PN junction is between 0.3 and 0.7. Power sources apply both a reverse bias voltage across the body greater than said punch-through voltage and less than said reverse breakdown voltage, and a current to the body having a density greater than the saturation current density of the second impurity region.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.