Multiple pulse photoconductive semiconductor switching

The authors discuss the use of PCSSs (photoconductive semiconductor switches) to create bursts of high-power pulses above 10 MHz. Three methods are considered; (1) circuit reflections which are produced when a switch closes and opens on a charged transmission line; (2) directly driven PCSSs which follow an RF modulated light source, and (3) oscillations induced by the negative-differential-conductivity characteristics of some semiconductors at high fields. Of these techniques, directly driven PCSSs which use RF-modulated light sources appear to be the most straightforward to develop. Experiments to test feasibility of PCSSs to drive a pulsed linear induction accelerator are described and preliminary results are given.<>