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Fabrication of High-Resolution Nuclear Detectors Using 4H-SiC n-type Epitaxial Layers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2013

Kelvin J. Zavalla ,
Sandeep K. Chaudhuri  and
Krishna C. Mandal
Kelvin J. Zavalla
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, 301 Main Street, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A.
Sandeep K. Chaudhuri
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, 301 Main Street, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A.
Krishna C. Mandal*
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, 301 Main Street, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A.
*
*Email: mandalk@cec.sc.edu
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Abstract

High resolution Schottky barrier detectors for alpha particles have been fabricated on 20 μm n-type 4H-SiC epitaxial layers. Schottky barrier contact structure was accomplished by deposition of 10 nm nickel on the Si face of the epilayers. The detectors were characterized for structural, electrical, and spectroscopic properties. Scanning electron microscopy and Nomarski optical microscopy revealed a micropipe density lower than 1 cm-2. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the device exhibited very low leakage current of the order of 6.5 pA at an operating bias of 90 V. C-V measurements revealed a typical effective doping concentrations of 2.4 × 1014 cm-3 in these epilayers. The detectors were evaluated for alpha particles detection using a 241Am source. An energy resolution of ∼0.98% for 5.48 MeV alpha particles was observed. The separate contribution of charge carrier drift and diffusion to the total charge collection efficiency has been calculated in these detectors following a drift-diffusion model. Detailed electronic noise analysis in terms of equivalent noise charge (ENC) was carried out to study the effect of various noise components that contribute to the total electronic noise in the detection system. Effect of shaping time, presence of source and bias on the ENC has been studied in details.

Keywords

devicesepitaxysemiconducting
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1576: Symposium WW – Nuclear Radiation Detection Materials , 2013 , mrss13-1576-ww01-02
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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References

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