Transparent ceramic photo-optical semiconductor high power switches
A photoconductive semiconductor switch according to one embodiment includes a structure of sintered nanoparticles of a high band gap material exhibiting a lower electrical resistance when excited by light relative to an electrical resistance thereof when not exposed to the light. A method according to one embodiment includes creating a mixture comprising particles, at least one dopant, and at least one solvent; adding the mixture to a mold; forming a green structure in the mold; and sintering the green structure to form a transparent ceramic. Additional system, methods and products are also presented.
1. A photoconductive semiconductor switch, comprising:
a structure of sintered nanoparticles of a high band gap material exhibiting a lower electrical resistance when excited by light relative to an electrical resistance thereof when not exposed to the light.
2. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises silicon carbide.
3. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 2 , wherein the structure further comprises a dopant selected from a group consisting of nitrogen and vanadium.
4. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 3 , wherein the dopant is nitrogen.
5. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises aluminum nitride.
6. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 5 , wherein the structure further comprises a dopant selected from a group consisting of oxygen, manganese and iron.
7. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 6 , wherein the dopant is selected from the group consisting of: manganese and oxygen.
8. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises gallium nitride.
9. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 8 , wherein the structure further comprises a dopant selected from a group consisting of oxygen and iron.
10. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 8 , wherein the dopant is oxygen.
11. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 1 , wherein the structure is substantially free of defects selected from a group consisting of pipes, inclusions and impurities.
12. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 1 , wherein the structure has a solids density greater than about 99% of a theoretical maximum density of the structure.
13. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 1 , further comprising electrodes coupled to ends of the structure.
14. The photoconductive semiconductor′switch of claim 1 , where the structure has a volumetric size greater than about 1 mm 3 .
15. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have a mean particle diameter of less than about 1000 nanometers.
16. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 1 , wherein the structure is able to hold back an equivalent of at least about 50 kV per 1 mm 3 of the structure.
17. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 1 , wherein the structure has spatially varying properties.
18. A method for creating the photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 1 , the method comprising:
creating a mixture comprising particles, at least one dopant, and at least one solvent;
adding the mixture to a mold;
forming a green structure in the mold; and
sintering the green structure to form a ceramic.
19. The method of claim 18 , with the proviso that no gelling additive is added to the mixture.
20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising hot isostatically pressing the sintered structure, wherein the sintered structure has a solids density greater than about 99% of a theoretical maximum density of the structure after the pressing.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the mixture comprises silicon carbide.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the at least one dopant is selected from a group consisting of nitrogen and vanadium.
23. The method of claim 18 , wherein the mixture comprises aluminum nitride.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the at least one dopant is selected from a group consisting of oxygen, manganese and iron.
25. The method of claim 18 , wherein the mixture comprises gallium nitride.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the at least one dopant is selected from a group consisting of oxygen and iron.
27. The photoconductive semiconductor switch of claim 1 , further comprising electrodes coupled to ends of the structure,
wherein the structure comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:
silicon carbide and a dopant selected from the group consisting of vanadium and nitrogen; and
aluminum nitride and a dopant selected from the group consisting of oxygen and manganese,
wherein the structure is able to hold back an equivalent of at least about 100 kV per 1 mm 3 of the structure,
wherein the structure has a volumetric size greater than about 1 mm 3 ,
wherein the nanoparticles have a mean particle diameter of less than about 1000 nanometers,
wherein the structure has a solids density greater than about 99% of a theoretical maximum density of the structure, and
wherein the structure is substantially free of defects selected from a group consisting of pipes, inclusions and impurities.