Silicon carbide as a photoconductive switch material for high power applications

This research work discusses the effort at the Electrical and computer engineering (ECE) department at the University of Missouri Columbia (UMC) in developing this technology through simulation and experiments with SiC material. Specifically, the rationale for employing extrinsic photoconductivity, the role of compensation mechanisms have been demonstrated, modeled, and analyzed. The device material fabrication methods and package structures developed to date are discussed. The behavior and the response of the two compensated structures have been discussed in terms of recombination time and optical sensitivity. Material characterization showing agreement with the experimental results was based on choosing the right parameters on trap levels and compensation mechanisms. The experimental switching results with both intrinsic and compensated SiC photo switches using sub-band gap photon energy for code calibration and high power PCSS analysis is presented and compared with semiconductor physics models. The methods used to determine the density and recombination cross section of interband dopants is also presented. A method to improve the hold off voltage of the PCSS by many orders of magnitude is proposed. Laser illumination data with the improved design is also presented.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical and computer engineering (MU)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Missouri--Columbia

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Kelkar, Kapil S., 1979-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Islam, Naz E.

Statement dc:rights

• OpenAccess.

Language dc:language.iso

eng, English

DOI

https://doi.org/10.32469/10355/4469

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/4469