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Signal processing circuit with two negative feedback loops rectifies two sinusoidal signals which are 180 degrees out of phase and produces a single full-wave rectified output signal. Each feedback loop incorporates a feedback rectifier to compensate for the nonlinearity of the circuit.
The effects of 22-MeV protons on various types of silicon single junction and silicon controlled rectifiers were investigated. The results show that low-leakage devices and silicon controlled rectifiers are the most susceptable to radiation damage. There are also differences noted between single junction rectifiers of the same type made by different manufacturers, which emphasizes the need for better selection of devices used in spacecraft.
The development of a 20 kHz, AC power system by NASA for large space projects has spurred a need to develop models for the equipment which will be used on these single phase systems. To date, models for the AC source (i.e., inverters) have been developed. It is the intent of this paper to develop a method to model the single phase voltage controlled rectifiers which will be attached to the AC power grid as an interface for connected loads. A modified version of EPRI's HARMFLO program is used as the shell for these models. The results obtained from the model developed in this paper are quite adequate for the analysis of problems such as voltage resonance. The unique technique presented in this paper uses the Laplace transforms to determine the harmonic content of the load current of the rectifier rather than a curve fitting technique. Laplace transforms yield the coefficient of the differential equations which model the line current to the rectifier directly.
The High Temperature Integrated Electronics and Sensors (HTIES) team at the NASA Lewis Research Center is developing silicon carbide (SiC) for use in harsh conditions where silicon, the semiconductor used in nearly all of today's electronics, cannot function. Silicon carbide's demonstrated ability to function under extreme high-temperature, high power, and/or high-radiation conditions will enable significant improvements to a far ranging variety of applications and systems. These improvements range from improved high-voltage switching for energy savings in public electric power distribution and electric vehicles, to more powerful microwave electronics for radar and cellular communications, to sensors and controls for cleaner-burning, more fuel-efficient jet aircraft and automobile engines. In the case of jet engines, uncooled operation of 300 to 600 C SiC power actuator electronics mounted in key high-temperature areas would greatly enhance system performance and reliability. Because silicon cannot function at these elevated temperatures, the semiconductor device circuit components must be made of SiC. Lewis' HTIES group recently fabricated and characterized high-temperature SiC rectifier diodes whose record-breaking characteristics represent significant progress toward the realization of advanced high-temperature actuator control circuits. The first figure illustrates the 600 C probe-testing of a Lewis SiC pn-junction rectifier diode sitting on top of a glowing red-hot heating element. The second figure shows the current-versus voltage rectifying characteristics recorded at 600 C. At this high temperature, the diodes were able to "turn-on" to conduct 4 A of current when forward biased, and yet block the flow of current ($quot;turn-off") when reverse biases as high as 150 V were applied. This device represents a new record for semiconductor device operation, in that no previous semiconductor electronic device has ever simultaneously demonstrated 600 C functionality, and 4-A turn-on and 150-V rectification. The high operating current was achieved despite severe device size limitations imposed by present-day SiC wafer defect densities. Further substantial increases in device performance can be expected when SiC wafer defect densities decrease as SiC wafer production technology matures.
Precision full wave rectifier circuit for rectifying incoming electrical signals having positive or negative polarity with only positive output signals
Development of automated silicon controlled rectifier circuit for measuring minimum anode current required to maintain rectifiers in conducting state is discussed. Components of circuit are described and principles of operation are explained. Illustration of circuit is provided.
This work analyzes the resultant efficiency degradation when identical rectifiers operate at different RF power levels as caused by the power beam taper. Both a closed-form analytical circuit model and a detailed computer-simulation model are used to obtain the output dc load line of the rectifier. The efficiency degradation is nearly identical with series and parallel combining, and the closed-form analytical model provides results which are similar to the detailed computer-simulation model.
Results of investigations of argon ion sputtering of heavily doped n-GaAs are compared with those obtained from studies of Au/low doping density n-GaAs contacts. The Au contact on Si-doped GaAs was nearly ohmic when the surface contamination (carbon and oxides) was reduced prior to deposition by chemical cleaning. However, when ion sputtering was used in situ to clean the surface, rectifying contact was produced whose barrier height varied with the energy of the sputtering ion. It was found that ion sputtering of GaAs doped to more than 3 x 10 to the 18th power/cu may be used to change ohmic contact to rectifying contacts. The barrier height may be changed by changing the ion energy. The behavior results from the sputter creation of deep level acceptor states at the GaAs surface. Annealing after sputtering can restore the contact to nearly an ohmic character.
Synchronous rectifying circuit behaves like diode having unusually low voltage drop during forward-voltage half cycles. Circuit particularly useful in power supplies with potentials of 5 Vdc or less, where normal forward-voltage drops in ordinary diodes unacceptably large. Fabricated as monolithic assembly or as hybrid. Synchronous half-wave rectifier includes active circuits to attain low forward voltage drop and high rectification efficiency.
A new 2.25-MW transformer rectifier assembly was fabricated for DSS-13 at Goldstone, California. The transformer rectifier will provide constant output power of 2.25 MW at any voltage from 31 kV to 125 kV. This will give a new capability of 1 MW of RF power at X-band, provided appropriate microwave tubes are in the power amplifier. A description of the design and test results is presented.
A self-rectifying electron beam melting technique is described. Utilizing an ac power supply, in contrast to the more usual dc supply, the in situ self-rectifying approach offers a simple and very inexpensive means of producing metallic pendant drops for use in containerless melt-processing experiments.
Due to the nature of planned planetary missions, fairly large advanced power systems are required for the spacecraft. These future high power spacecrafts are expected to use dynamic power conversion systems incorporating high speed alternators as three-phase AC electrical power source. One of the early design considerations in such systems is the type of rectification to be used with the AC source for DC user loads. This paper address the issues involved with two different rectification methods, namely the conventional six and twelve pulses. Two circuit configurations which involved parallel combinations of the six and twelve-pulse rectifiers were selected for the simulation. The rectifier s input and output power waveforms will be thoroughly examined through simulations. The effects of the parasitic load for power balancing and filter components for reducing the ripple voltage at the DC loads are also included in the analysis. Details of the simulation circuits, simulation results, and design examples for reducing risk from damaging of spacecraft engines will be presented and discussed.
The invention is embodied in a monolithic semiconductor integrated circuit in which is formed an antenna, such as a slot dipole antenna, connected across a rectifying diode. In the preferred embodiment, the antenna is tuned to received an electromagnetic wave of about 2500 GHz so that the device is on the order of a wavelength in size, or about 200 microns across and 30 microns thick. This size is ideal for mounting on a microdevice such as a microrobot for example. The antenna is endowed with high gain in the direction of the incident radiation by providing a quarter-wavelength (30 microns) thick resonant cavity below the antenna, the cavity being formed as part of the monolithic integrated circuit. Preferably, the integrated circuit consists of a thin gallium arsenide membrane overlying the resonant cavity and supporting an epitaxial Gallium Arsenide semiconductor layer. The rectifying diode is a Schottky diode formed in the GaAs semiconductor layer and having an area that is a very small fraction of the wavelength of the 2500 GHz incident radiation. The cavity provides high forward gain in the antenna and isolation from surrounding structure.
Self-oscillating inverter to turn off silicon controlled rectifiers
High temperature ceramic rectifier, thyratrons, and voltage reference tubes for use in nuclear- electric space power systems
Tube diode construction with thoriated tungsten cathode and tubes with barium-system cathodes and with thallium pellets - vapor-filled ceramic thyratons and rectifiers development
Properties of thin film rectifier formed on glass substrate by vacuum-depositing cadmium selenide- zinc selenide film between two deposited gold electrodes
High temperature, gas filled ceramic rectifiers, thyratrons, and voltage-reference tubes