Twister oven for photoconductive switches

An illumination system for a photoconductive device, comprising:

• an illumination source configured to generate light;
• an optical waveguide having a source end coupled to the illumination source and a tapered end at which the light from the illumination source is emitted;
• a photoconductive device including photoconductive material and configured to provide an output in response to the photoconductive material receiving incident light;
• and
• a cylindrical oven configured to deliver the light emitted at the tapered end of the optical waveguide to the photoconductive material of the photoconductive device, the cylindrical oven including:
• a bottom end interfaced with the photoconductive material of the photoconductive device,
• a top end having an inclination angle with respect to the bottom end, and
• a port located on a sidewall of the cylindrical oven to allow the light emitted at the tapered end of the optical waveguide to enter the cylindrical oven to be incident on and reflected downward from a surface of the top end, wherein at least a portion of the light that enters the cylindrical oven undergoes multiple reflections from internal surfaces of the cylindrical oven prior to being directed to the photoconductive material through the bottom end.

A method for illuminating a photoconductive device, comprising:

• positioning an illumination oven on a surface of the photoconductive device;
• and
• providing, from an optical waveguide, light into the illumination oven via a port located on a sidewall of the illumination oven,
• wherein the illumination oven includes an angled top end configured to receive and reflect the light downwards such that at least a portion of the light is reflected multiple times by internal surfaces of the illumination oven prior to being directed through a bottom end of the illumination oven to the surface of the photoconductive device,
• wherein the illumination oven is configured to receive the light from a tapered end of the optical waveguide that protrudes through the port and into the illumination oven.