It needs to conduct bidirectionally while on.=20 -----Original Message----- From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu On Behalf Of Richar= d Prosser Sent: Saturday, April 7, 2018 1:50 AM To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. Subject: Re: [EE] Substitute for mechanical contacts Have you looked into operating a bipolar transistor in avalanche breakdown = mode? We use this to trigger a laser diode as it gives a very fast risetime (~2 t= o 5 nS) for a rangefinder application. But ours work at about 200V. Maybe series them and trigger one - the others= will auto trigger. There doesn't appear much of a range available. Standar= d high voltage bipolars may work, but may vary considerably in trigger sens= itivity etc. Peak current might be a problem also, we're only running at ab= out 20A. RP On 7 April 2018 at 02:53, Van Horn, David < david.vanhorn@backcountryaccess= ..com> wrote: > > To David's original question, though: 100nF at 1kV is not much energy.=20 > I wouldn't expect too much difficulty in switching that, except that=20 > most means of switching it are likely to be rather lossy since the cap=20 > will be mostly discharged by the time that the switch is fully ON.=20 > This is probably true even for a mechanical switch since the arc will=20 > start and complete before the contacts actually touch. > > > Yup. That's one effect I want to get rid of. > > -- > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive=20 > View/change your membership options at=20 > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > -- http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/chang= e your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclis= t --=20 http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .