Effect of current filament characteristics on the output current of high-gain photoconductive semiconductor switch

The output current characteristics of a high-gain photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) were analyzed under different bias voltages. The results indicate that the voltages on different discharge regions of current filament are dynamic, which determines the output current transient characteristics. The physical processes of anode region influenced by the bias voltage of PCSS dominate that the output current presents the characteristic of lock-on or overshoot. The quench of current filament is determined by the external circuit and the carrier recombination process, resulting in the turn-off of high-gain PCSS. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4761999]