Switching effects in shorted emitter diodes

A p-n junction diode with an additional n+ island diffused into its anode and shortod to it is shown to exhibit a switching effect in its reverse characteristic if its geometry is chosen correctly. The effect is similar to that encountered in a PIN stop recovery diode and depends on the stored minority charge at the end of the forward conduction period and on the applied voltage frequency and waveform. The device is completely compatible with npn IC technology and can be used for pulse generation. A theoretical analysis of the device operation and the switching effect is made anil compares well with the experimental results.