Opportunity:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its Tunnel Drift Step Recovery Diode technology.

Background:

A Drift Step Recovery Diode (DSRD) is a fast opening, high-voltage pin diode that is stacked in series and used in pulsed power systems to deliver nanosecond-scale high-voltage pulses into a load. These are typically produced by an expensive method that involves deep diffusion of n- and p-type dopants into a low to moderately doped wafer or by the more expensive epitaxial growth of the desired structure. What is needed is a less expensive method of fabricating DRSDs.

Description:

Instead of producing individual DSRDs and bonding them, Tunnel DSRDs entire stack structure is grown epitaxially on a n- or p-type silicon wafer, resulting in a novel, “monolithic” stacked DSRD. A tunnel diode is essentially a diode with very highly doped p and n regions such that the reverse breakdown voltage is 200 meV or lower.

Advantages/Benefits:

• Epitaxially grown repeating layers -> less manufacturing costs
• High voltage switches
• Used for high power microwave sources

Potential Applications:

• High Power Switch
• Pulsed Power
• Drift Step Recovery Diode

Development Status:

Current stage of technology development: TRL 2

LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.

U.S. Patent No. 11,322,626 Tunnel Drift Step Recovery Diode published 5/3/2022

LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information.

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNLs Tunnel DSRD should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.
2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.
3. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.

Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNLs Tunnel DSRD.

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.

Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Innovation and Partnerships Office

P.O. Box 808, L-779

Livermore, CA 94551-0808

Attention: IL-13475

Attachments/Links