Numerical Studies on Thermal Characteristics of Gallium Arsenide Photoconductive Switch with Coplanar Contacts

In order to analyze the thermal characteristics of Gallium Arsenide photoconductive switch (GaAs PCSS) with coplanar contacts, a two-dimensional numerical model has been developed, and the simulations about the transient maximum lattice temperature are performed. The theory of multiple avalanche domains is introduced to interpret the influence of the bias electric field, trigger energy and trigger wavelength on the maximum lattice temperature. The results indicate that the maximum temperature is determined by the electric field and current density inside the static ionization domains. Furthermore, extrinsic light excitation is more beneficial to reduce the peak lattice temperature, thus improving the device lifetime.