High resolution alpha particle detectors based on 4H-SiC epitaxial layer

Abstract

We fabricated and characterized 4H-SiC Schottky diodes as a spectrometric detector of alpha particles. A thin blocking contact of Ni/Au (15 nm) was used to minimize the influence on alpha particles energy. Current-voltage characteristics of the detector were measured and a low current density below 0.3 nAcm −2 was observed at room temperature. 239 Pu 241 Am 244 Cm was used as a source of alpha particles within the energy range between 5.1 MeV and 5.8 MeV for detector testing. The charge collection efficiency close to 100 % at reverse bias exceeding 50 V was determined. The best spectrometric performance shows a pulse height spectrum at a reverse bias of 200 V giving an energy resolution of 0.25 % in the full width and half maximum for 5.486 MeV of 241 Am.

4H-SiC Schottky Barrier Diodes as Radiation Detectors: A Review

“…A linear energy response and excellent energy resolution were obtained for various alpha emitters in the 3.18-8.38 MeV energy range. Recent advances in energy resolution and efficiency have been reported by several groups [7][8][9][30][31][32][33]. Zat'ko et al [7] used 4H-SiC SBDs with various epitaxial layer thicknesses ranging from 25 up to 70 µm and Schottky contacts with 2.0 or 3.0 mm in diameter.…”

Recent advances in radiation detection technologies enabled by metal-halide perovskites

“…Then, there is still a vast distance in detection performance between halide perovskite detectors and the existed commercial radiation detectors. As for alpha particle detections, the state-of-the-art detector offers the highest spectral resolution of 0.25% 136 , while attempts to detect alpha particles by halide perovskites are still in the early stage with a spectral resolution of only 15%. The main reason is that the resistance of halide perovskites (10 7~1 0 9 is still not high enough to reduce the dark current compared with high resistance of Ω cm) 10 11…”

Vertical GaN-on-GaN Schottky Diodes as α-Particle Radiation Sensors

“…A summary of important material characteristics has been listed in Table 1 below. Ga-45 N-109 [10] 35 [11] Bias Voltage Required to achieve 100% CCE (V) 24 [12] 150 [13] 200 [14] 300 [15] 15 [16] Detected Si-based radiation detectors-Si has a decently high E d of 13 eV accompanied by a well-developed device fabrication technology [8]. While high E d results in a good life-time of the detector, the established fabrication technology is important to fabricate detectors with wide DW and low leakage currents.…”