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Cross-sectional investigation of radiation damage of 2 MeV proton-irradiated silicon carbide

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Abstract

Cross-sectional investigation is an important method to study ion irradiation effects in the depth direction. In this study, 2 MeV H+ was implanted in 6H-SiC single crystals to investigate the effects of light ion irradiation on SiC. Raman spectroscopy and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) were carried out on cross-sectional samples to reveal the in-depth damage states and dopant behavior. The most damaged region is a little shallower than that predicted by the SRIM procedure, owing to the uncertainty in SRIM simulations. Layered structures representing zones of varying damage after 2 MeV H ion irradiation are clearly observed. Two bands are observed in SEM images, of which on band corresponds to the damage peak, while the other band at the end of the H ion-affected area is probably a result of H diffusion propelled by a hydrogen-rich layer during irradiation. A charge accumulation effect related with conductivity on the sample surfaces during SEM tests is observed in the H-implanted area. A model is proposed to explain these phenomena.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Jiangyou, 621908, China

    Xu Wang & Ming Zhang

  2. Department of Nuclear Physics, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing, 102413, China

    Yan-Wen Zhang

  3. State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Dong Han, Yun-Biao Zhao & Zi-Qiang Zhao

Authors
  1. Xu Wang
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  2. Yan-Wen Zhang
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  3. Dong Han
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  4. Yun-Biao Zhao
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Correspondence to Xu Wang or Zi-Qiang Zhao.

Additional information

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11705169, 91426304 and 91226202).

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Wang, X., Zhang, YW., Han, D. et al. Cross-sectional investigation of radiation damage of 2 MeV proton-irradiated silicon carbide. NUCL SCI TECH 29, 57 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-018-0386-0

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