Evaluation of Light-Triggered Thyristors for Pulsed Power Applications

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has many needs for high reliability, high peak current, high di/dt switches. Solid-state switch technology offers the demonstrated advantage of reliability under a variety of conditions. Light-triggered switches operate with a reduced susceptibility to electromagnetic interference commonly found within pulsed power environments. Despite the advantages, commercially available solid-state switches are not typically designed for the often extreme pulsed power requirements. Testing was performed to bound the limits of devices for pulsed power applications beyond the manufacturers' specified ratings. To test the applicability of recent commercial light-triggered solid-state designs, an adjustable high current switch test stand was assembled. Results from testing and subsequent selected implementations are presented.