Conformal Photoconductive Switch Package Triple Point Field Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Photoconductive switches experience significant electric field enhancement at the Triple Point due to charge carrier accumulation when the substrate becomes conductive, leading to electrical breakdowns and field distortions, particularly when in contact with non-conducting materials.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating doping in the dielectric material at the interface area to make it partially conductive, or shaping the substrate and electrode boundaries to conform to electric field lines, thereby reducing or eliminating charge accumulation and field enhancement at the Triple Point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the substrate is rendered conducting by incident radiation, then the photoconductive switch can trigger an electrical switch, but electric field enhancement occurs at the Triple Point causing electrical breakdowns
Solution Approach 1:
A conformal conducting layer is introduced as an intermediary between the electrode and the substrate. This intermediate layer modifies the electric field distribution by providing a continuous conducting path that prevents charge accumulation at the Triple Point, thereby eliminating field enhancement while maintaining the substrate's photoconductive switching function
Solution Approach 2:
The conducting layer is applied conformally to follow the electrode geometry, creating locally optimized field distribution. The layer's conductivity is specifically tailored at the Triple Point region to prevent charge accumulation, while maintaining appropriate field characteristics in other regions for proper switch operation
2Shape
If careful design of electrode shape is used, then electric field enhancement is reduced when substrate is non-conducting, but large field enhancement still appears when substrate is activated
Solution Approach 1:
The conformal conducting layer serves as a mediator that decouples the electrode shape from the field enhancement problem. By providing a continuous conducting interface, it prevents charge accumulation at geometric discontinuities regardless of the underlying electrode shape, making the solution effective for various electrode geometries
3Stability of the object's composition
If charge carriers move to the substrate-dielectric boundary to shield the substrate interior, then the substrate is protected from external electric field, but charge accumulation generates nearly singular electric field at Triple Point
Solution Approach 1:
The conformal conducting layer acts as an intermediary that intercepts charge carriers before they can accumulate at the substrate-dielectric boundary. By providing an alternative conducting path through the layer, it maintains the substrate's shielding capability while preventing the formation of singular field regions at the Triple Point
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Substantially reduces or eliminates electric field enhancement at the Triple Point, minimizing the risk of electrical breakdowns and maintaining consistent field distribution regardless of the substrate's conductive state.
Implementation Method 1
The interface area of the dielectric may include a doping making the interface area of the dielectric electrically conductive
Implementation Method 2
when a photoconductive substrate is rendered conducting by the application of incident radiation
Data Source
AI summary
A photoconductive switch is disclosed having a substrate, an electrode formed on the substrate, and a dielectric formed adjacent to the substrate and the electrode. The dielectric, the electrode and the substrate each have a portion cooperatively defining an interface area. The interface area of the dielectric has a doping making the interface area of the dielectric electrically conductive to suppress a charge collection at the interface area when the photoconductive switch is electrically energized through an input signal irradiating the electrode. In one embodiment the electrode may have a curvilinear or spherical shape, and the substrate may have a boundary edge surface which extends normal to the surface of the electrode, and with the dielectric having an edge surface that matches the contour of the substrate edge surface.