Silicon diodes in avalanche pulse-sharpening applications |
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Authors: | Focia R.J. Schamiloglu E. Fleddermann C.B. Agee F.J. Gaudet J. |
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Affiliation: | Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM; |
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Abstract: | Silicon diodes operated in an avalanche breakdown mode can he used to reduce, or sharpen, the rise times of driving pulses. Proper operation of a diode in this manner requires the application of a driving pulse with sufficient time rate of change of voltage dV/dt. The rapidly changing reverse bias produces an electron-hole plasma of sufficient density that the electric field strength in the n region of a p+-n-n+ structure is significantly reduced and the plasma is essentially trapped. In effect, the plasma generation causes the device to transition from a high-impedance state to a low-impedance state in a short period of time, and thus acts as a fast closing switch. This paper provides an overview of this mode of operation. A simplified theory of operation is presented. A comparison is made among the results of numerical modeling, the theory of operation of the silicon avalanche shaper (SAS) diode, and the theory of operation of the trapped-plasma avalanche-triggered transit (TRAPATT) mode of operation of a diode. Based on the results of numerical modeling, conclusions are drawn on what factors most greatly affect the performance of avalanche shaper diodes, and one optimized design is provided |
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