Breakdown voltage

About: Breakdown voltage is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 18395 publications have been published within this topic receiving 213377 citations.

Electron and hole ionization rates in epitaxial silicon at high electric fields

Abstract: Ionization rates for electrons and holes are extracted from photomultiplication measurements on silicon p+n mesa diodes for electric fields of 2·0 × 105−7·7 × 105 V/cm at temperatures of 22, 50, 100 and 150°C. These results are particularly pertinent to the analysis of high-frequency (∼ 100 GHz) silicon IMPATT diodes. The rates obtained here are in reasonable agreement with previously published data of van Overstraeten and DeMan, although slightly larger in magnitude. Calculated curves of breakdown voltage vs background doping level are presented using the room temperature ionization rates. Also a comparison is made to previously reported rates. The new rates provide a closer agreement between predicted and measured breakdown voltages for breakdown voltages less than 70 V.

Temperature dependence of avalanche multiplication in semiconductors

Abstract: Expressions for the temperature dependence of the carrier mean free path for optical phonon scattering and the mean energy loss per collision are presented which predict avalanche multiplication as a function of electric field for any operating temperature once the appropriate parameters have been determined at a single temperature. This has been verified for electrons in Si by the correlation of measurements at 300°K, 213°K, and 100°K. The temperature dependence of the breakdown voltages of a variety of abrupt and linear‐graded Si and Ge p‐n junctions has also been predicted. The fractional change in breakdown voltage with increasing temperature is predicted to decrease with increased doping concentration and, for the same breakdown voltage, to be less for linear‐graded junctions than for abrupt junctions.

Pulsed Electrical Discharge in Vacuum

Abstract: 1. Introduction.- 2. Review of Vacuum Breakdown and Discharge Studies.- 2.1 The Electrode Surface in a Vacuum Discharge.- 2.1.1 Preparation of Electrodes.- 2.1.2 Determination of Micropoint Parameters.- 2.1.3 Effect of Emission from Non-metallic Inclusions.- 2.2 Vacuum Insulation, Properties and Breakdown.- 2.2.1 Prebreakdown Phenomena.- 2.2.2 Microdischarges.- 2.2.3 The Breakdown Voltage.- 2.3 Kinetics of Vacuum Electrical Breakdown.- 2.3.1 Characteristic Times of Breakdown.- 2.3.2 Role of Electrodes in the Development of Breakdown.- 2.3.3 X-Ray Pulse at Breakdown.- 2.4 Field Electron Emission to Vacuum Breakdown Transition.- 2.5 Hypotheses on Vacuum Breakdown Initiation.- 2.5.1 Physical Processes Leading to Vacuum Breakdown.- 2.5.2 Cathode-Initiated Breakdown.- 2.5.3 Anode-Initiated Breakdown.- 2.5.4 Comparison between Cathode and Anode Mechanisms for Breakdown Initiation.- 2.5.5 Microparticle-Initiated Breakdown.- 2.6 Spark Stage of Vacuum Breakdown.- 2.7 The Discharge Arc Stage. The Cathode Spot.- 2.7.1 Physical Properties of the Cathode Spot.- 2.7.2 Cathode-Spot Models.- 3. Experimental Equipment and Techniques.- 3.1 Electrical Measurement Techniques.- 3.1.1 High-Voltage, Nanosecond Pulse Generators.- 3.1.2 Current and Voltage Pulse Recording.- 3.2 Diagnostics of the Radiation that Accompanies Breakdown.- 3.2.1 Electro-optical Recording of the Light Emission.- 3.2.2 Photoelectrical Recording of the Light Emission.- 3.2.3 Spectral Investigation of the Discharge Plasma Radiation.- 3.2.4 X-Radiation Recording.- 3.3 Vacuum Equipment.- 3.4 Preparation and Examination of Electrode Surfaces.- 4. Pulsed Nanosecond Breakdown of Vacuum Gaps.- 4.1 Time Characteristics of the Pulsed Vacuum Breakdown.- 4.1.1 The Influence of Electrode Conditioning.- 4.1.2 The Influence of the Vacuum.- 4.2 Study of Light Emission at Pulsed Breakdown.- 4.2.1 Single-Shot Investigations.- 4.2.2 The Continuous-Operation Regime.- 4.2.3 Comparison with Other Data.- 4.3 Electrode Erosion Studies.- 4.3.1 Cathode Erosion.- 4.3.2 The Tracer Method.- 4.3.3 Anode Erosion.- 4.4 Nature of the Discharge Current at Breakdown.- 4.5 Mechanism of Pulsed Breakdown of Vacuum Gaps.- 4.5.1 The Role of the Cathode.- 4.5.2 The Cathode Plasma and the Electron Current.- 4.5.3 Anode Phenomena.- 5. Cathode Processes in a Pulsed Vacuum Discharge.- 5.1 EEE Initiation by High-Density FEE Current.- 5.1.1 Experimental Conditions.- 5.1.2 Description of EEE Current.- 5.1.3 The Point Explosion Delay Time.- 5.1.4 Calculation of the Emitter Heating.- 5.1.5 The Vacuum Discharge Delay Time.- 5.2 Erosion of Point Cathodes.- 5.2.1 The Fast Current Rise.- 5.2.2 The Slow Current Rise.- 5.2.3 The Point Erosion Rate.- 5.2.4 Erosion Due to Joule Heating.- 5.2.5 Comparison with Experiment.- 5.3 EEE Current Density Measurements.- 5.3.1 Current Density of a Point Cathode.- 5.3.2 Current Density from a Massive Cathode.- 5.3.3 Measurements Based on Erosion.- 5.3.4 Experimental Data.- 5.4 Microstructure of the Cathode Surface.- 5.4.1 Erosion Traces in SEM.- 5.4.2 The Field Enhancement Factor.- 5.5 The Contribution of Droplet Ejection to Cathode Erosion.- 5.6 Pressure in the Emission Zone.- 5.7 Formation of Cathode Microstructure.- 6. Cathode Flare Plasma.- 6.1 Velocity of CF Plasma Expansion.- 6.1.1 The Grounded Grid and Collector Method.- 6.1.2 The Photoelectric Method.- 6.1.3 The Transverse Magnetic Field Method.- 6.1.4 The Method of the Anode Erosion Mark.- 6.2 CF Plasma Parameters.- 6.2.1 CF Plasma Density.- 6.2.2 CF Plasma Composition and Temperature.- 6.3 EEE Current Effect on the Dynamics of the Plasma Light Emission.- 6.4 A Model for CF Plasma Expansion.- 6.4.1 The Adiabatic Model.- 6.4.2 MHD Calculation.- 6.4.3 The Model of an Ideal Plasma.- 7. Current Passage in the Spark Stage of Breakdown.- 7.1 Electron Emission from CF Plasma into Vacuum.- 7.2 Electron Emission from CF Plasma, Experimental Studies.- 7.3 Current-Voltage Characteristics of a Single-CF Diode.- 7.4 Dynamics of the CF Electron Emission Boundary.- 7.5 CF Plasma Potential Distribution and Plasma Emissive Properties.- 7.5.1 Probe Measurements of the CF Plasma Potential.- 7.5.2 The Nature of the Instability of CF Emission.- 7.6 Spark Current Between Broad-Area Electrodes.- 7.6.1 Calculation of the Spark Current Rise.- 7.6.2 The Role of Cathode and Anode Flares.- 8. Formation of New Emission Centers on the Cathode.- 8.1 Mechanisms of New EC Formation Under the Plasma.- 8.1.1 Mechanism of the Explosion of Micropoints.- 8.1.2 Mechanism of the Explosion of the Liquid Neck.- 8.1.3 Mechanism of the Breakdown of Non-metallic Inclusions.- 8.2 New EC Formation and Operation Under Cathode Plasma.- 8.2.1 Experiments Without Application of a Magnetic Field.- 8.2.2 Effect of Transverse Magnetic Field on New EC Formation.- 8.2.3 Results and Discussion.- 8.3 "Screening" Effect and Electron Beam Structure in a Diode.- 8.3.1 "Screening" Effect.- 8.3.2 Influence of Neighbouring CFs on the Electron Beam Structure in the Diode.- 9. Anode Processes in the Spark Stage of Vacuum Breakdown.- 9.1 Anode Heat Conditions.- 9.1.1 Power Density Deposited at the Anode.- 9.1.2 The Anode Temperature.- 9.2 Surface Structure of the Anode in the Discharge Zone.- 9.2.1 Summary of Previous Work.- 9.2.2 Metallographic Studies.- 9.2.3 Electron-Microscopic Studies.- 9.2.4 Mechanisms of the Anode Surface Damage.- 9.3 Formation of Anode Flares.- 9.3.1 Conditions for AF Formation, Its Composition and Temperature.- 9.3.2 The Expansion Velocity of AF.- 9.4 X-Radiation Generated at the Anode.- 9.4.1 X-Radiation on Discharging a Line.- 9.4.2 X-Radiation on Discharging a Capacitor.- 10. Fast Processes at DC Breakdown of Vacuum Gaps.- 10.1 Electrical Study of DC Breakdown.- 10.1.1 Electric Circuit.- 10.1.2 Prebreakdown Current and Breakdown Voltage.- 10.1.3 The Current Rise Time at Breakdown.- 10.1.4 X-Radiation and Electrode Erosion at Breakdown.- 10.2 Optical Studies.- 10.2.1 Determination of the Time of Appearance of Light.- 10.2.2 Electro-optical Breakdown Studies.- 10.3 Comparison with Results of Other Investigations.- 10.4 EEE Initiation at DC Breakdown.- 10.4.1 EEE Initiation under Pure Conditions.- 10.4.2 EEE Initiation and the Total Voltage Effect.- 10.4.3 Criteria for Vacuum Breakdown and EEE Initiation.- 11. Nonstationary Processes in the Vacuum Arc Cathode Spot.- 11.1 The Motion of Vacuum Arc Cathode Spots.- 11.1.1 The Effect of Surface Condition.- 11.1.2 The Influence of a Magnetic Field.- 11.1.3 Spontaneous Formation of Cathode Spots in Pulsed Arc Discharges.- 11.2 Response of the Vacuum Arc to Current Transients.- 11.2.1 Experimental Equipment and Technique.- 11.2.2 Results.- 11.3 Vacuum Arcs at Threshold Currents.- 11.3.1 The Threshold Current of a Vacuum Arc.- 11.3.2 Cathode Spot Current Density.- 11.4 Numerical Simulation of Processes in an Explosive Emission Center.- 11.5 Explosive Electron Emission and the Vacuum Arc Cathode Spot.- 12. Pulsed Electrical Discharge in Vacuum at Cryogenic Electrode Temperatures.- 12.1 Field Electron Emission at Low Cathode Temperatures.- 12.1.1 Effect of Superconductivity on FEE Current.- 12.1.2 The Nottingham Effect and Superconductivity.- 12.1.3 Other Emission Effects.- 12.2 Field Emission Current Preceding the Explosion of a Point.- 12.3 Characteristics of the Vacuum Discharge at Cryogenic Temperatures.- 12.3.1 Experimental Conditions.- 12.3.2 Experimental Results.- 12.4 Vacuum Discharge Between Electrodes Made of High-Temperature Superconductors.- 12.4.1 General Notions.- 12.4.2 FEE from High-Temperature Superconducting Cathodes.- 12.4.3 Vacuum Discharge.- References.

High breakdown voltage AlGaN-GaN power-HEMT design and high current density switching behavior

Abstract: AlGaN-GaN power high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with 600-V breakdown voltage are fabricated and demonstrated as switching power devices for motor drive and power supply applications. The fabricated power HEMT realized the high breakdown voltage by optimized field plate technique and the low on-state resistance of 3.3 m/spl Omega/cm/sup 2/, which is 20 times lower than that or silicon MOSFETs, thanks to the high critical field of GaN material and the high mobility in 2DEG channel. The fabricated devices also demonstrated the high current density switching of 850 A/cm/sup 2/ turn-off. These results show that AlGaN-GaN power-HEMTs are one of the most promising candidates for future switching power device for power electronics applications.