High voltage subnanosecond silicon carbide opening switch

Abstract

We discuss the results of the design and examination of high-voltage superfast opening switches - the drift step recovery diodes (DSRD) based on silicon carbide. The fabricated diodes have p+-p-n+ structure with relatively thick low-doped base region, which allows switching voltage of 1.8 kV in less than 500 ps. With 4H-SiC DSRD operating as an opening switch in an ultrashort pulse generator circuit in pulse repetition mode, maximal pulse repetition frequency is 500 kHz in continuous operation mode and 10 MHz in burst mode.