Abstract: A laser activated semiconductor switching device has a semiconductor structure housed in a semiconductor structure housing, and a laser array assembly directly connected to the semiconductor structure housing. The laser array assembly houses a plurality of laser diodes and diode control circuitry which energizes the laser diodes to emit light directly onto a surface of the semiconductor structure, which can be the cathode or anode surface, to cause the semiconductor structure to generate current carriers which enable passage of current through the semiconductor structure. The device can further include a second laser array assembly which is connected to the side of the semiconductor structure housing opposite to that on which the first laser array assembly is connected, and is configured to operate in a manner similar to the first laser array assembly.

Abstract: A metal oxide threshold switch (MOTS, e.g., NbOx, x preferably fractionally ess than 2) series connected is used to sharpen the pulse rise to about one or less nanosecond, with a peak up to several kilovolts, and up to 100 amperes or more.

Abstract: A metal oxide threshold switch (MOTS, e.g., NbO.sub.x, x preferably fractally less than 2) series connected is used to sharpen the pulse rise to about one nanosecond, with a peak of thousands of volts, and up to 100 amperes or more. A trigger pulse is used to further sharpen the pulse and reduce jitter.

Abstract: A transformerless Blumlein type circuit is combined with a novel clamper circuit for driving a cold cathode electron beam gun for a CO.sub.2 laser where the E-beam gun has resistance essentially infinite at the leading end of a driving pulse and has several ohms resistance at the end of the driving pulse. At the leading end of a driving pulse the voltage output of the Blumlein circuit is twice the rated load voltage since the load as infinite impedance. The clamper circuit limits the pulse voltage across the load to its rated voltage and the excess power from the Blumlein circuit over that required by the load is dissipated in the clamper circuit. The clamper circuit as variable impedance that is approximately the inverse of the load impedance during a driving pulse so that the Blumlein circuit looks into an approximately constant impedance equal to its impedance.