Title :
Analysis of neutron damage in high-temperature silicon carbide JFETs
Author :
McLean, F.Barry ; McGarrity, James M. ; Scozzie, Charles J. ; Tipton, C. Wesley ; DeLancey, W. Merle
Author_Institution :
US Army Res. Lab., Adelphi, MD, USA
Abstract :
Neutron-induced displacement damage effects in n-channel, depletion-mode junction-field-effect transistors (JFETs) fabricated on 6H-silicon carbide are reported as a function of temperature from room temperature (RT) to 300/spl deg/C. The data are analyzed in terms of a refined model that folds in recently reported information on the two-level ionization energy structure of the nitrogen donors. A value of 5/spl plusmn/1 cm/sup -3/ per n/cm/sup 2/ is obtained for the deep-level defect introduction rate induced by the neutron irradiation. Due to partial ionization of the donor atoms at RT, the carrier removal rate is a function of temperature, varying from 3.5 cm/sup -1/ at RT to 4.75 cm/sup -1/ at 300/spl deg/C. The relative neutron effect on carrier mobility varies with temperature approximately as T/sup -7/2/, dropping by an order of magnitude at 300/spl deg/C compared with the RT effect. The results offer further support for the use of SiC devices in applications which combine high-temperature and severe radiation environments, where the use of Si and GaAs technologies is limited.<>
Keywords :
carrier mobility; deep levels; junction gate field effect transistors; neutron effects; semiconductor device models; semiconductor materials; silicon compounds; wide band gap semiconductors; 20 to 300 degC; SiC; carrier mobility; carrier removal rate; deep-level defect introduction rate; displacement damage effects; high-temperature JFETs; neutron damage; refined model; severe radiation environments; two-level ionization energy structure; Inductors; Information analysis; Ionization; JFETs; Neutrons; Nitrogen; Nuclear electronics; Silicon carbide; Space technology; Temperature;
Journal_Title :
Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on
