High speed, high power plasma thyristor circuit

A high speed, high power plasma thyristor circuit comprising:

• a. a silicon semiconductor body having opposed major surfaces and having first, second and third impurity regions therein;
• said first and third impurity regions each adjoining a major surface and having opposite conductivity-type;
• said second impurity region being within the body between said first and third impurity regions and having a width of at least 80 microns and an impurity concentration therethrough of less than about 5 .times. 10.sup.14 atoms/cm.sup.3 ;
• and a PN junction being in the body at a transition between said regions, and having a reverse breakdown voltage between about 1.4 and 3.3 times greater than the punch-through voltage of the second impurity region;
• b. electrical contacts affixed to the major surfaces to make ohmic contact with said first and third impurity regions;
• c. a bias power source electrically connected to the electrical contacts and capable of applying a reverse bias voltage across the body greater than the punch-through voltage of said second impurity region but less than the reverse breakdown voltage of the PN junction;
• and
• d. a control power source electrically connected to the electrical contacts and capable of causing a current pulse through the body having a density greater than the saturation current density of the second impurity region.