Comparative Study of Lateral and Vertical β-Ga 2 O 3 Photoconductive Switches via Intrinsic and Extrinsic Optical Triggering
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Gallium oxide (Ga2O3), with its ultrawide bandgap (~4.8 eV) and high breakdown field (~8 MV/cm), is a leading candidate for photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) in high-power and high-speed pulsed applications. This work, for the first time, presents a systematic experimental comparison of lateral and vertical$\beta $-Ga2O3PCSS under both intrinsic (245 nm) and extrinsic (280, 300, and 445 nm) optical excitation. Under intrinsic excitation, where carrier generation is confined near the surface due to the shallow absorption depth (~0.11$\mu $m), the lateral PCSS demonstrated higher photocurrent performance compared to the vertical structure. In contrast, under extrinsic excitation, which enables deeper penetration into the bulk, the vertical PCSS exhibited enhanced switching performance due to a more uniform electric-field distribution across the device volume. These results highlight the critical role of device geometry and carrier generation mechanism in optimizing Ga2O3PCSS performance and provide valuable guidance for developing efficient and cost-effective high-voltage PCSS devices.
Authors: Vikash K. Jangir, Sudip K. Mazumder
Institution: University of Illinois Chicago
Language: English
Topic: Ga2O3 and related materials
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4415624808