  Energy efficiency of optoelectronic switches based on high-voltage silicon
photodiodes, phototransistors or photothyristors and triggered-on by picosecond
laser pulses has been studied for the first time. For given values of resistive
load, amplitude and duration $t_R$ of voltage pulses it is shown that there
exist optimal sets of values for the device area, energy and absorption
coefficient for triggering illumination, which provide the maximal general
efficiency of the switch about 0.92. All three types of switches have almost
identical efficiencies at short $t_R$, and in case of long $t_R$
photothyristors possess a noticeable advantage among them.
