GaAs(Cr) switch for control of electron-optical camera

The GaAs(Cr) switch is used in the scanning unit of an electron-optical camera (EOC) consisting of a PV-002R image converter and a luminance amplifier implemented by a microchannel plate. A linear scanning speed of 2.5 x 10/sup 10/ cm/sec with an actuation instability of less than or equal to +/-25 psec is achieved. The possibility of use of GaAs(Cr) switches in picosecond EOCs designed for experiments in the physics of lasers and laser plasma is shown.