Performance of p-n 4H-SiC film nuclear radiation detectors for operation at elevated temperatures (375 °C)

Abstract

The spectrometric characteristics of nuclear radiation detectors based on 4H-SiC films with iondoped p ⁺-n junctions have been studied for the first time in a temperature range from 25 to 375°C. The experiments with 5.8-MeV α particles were performed in a high-temperature chamber of special design. Factors related to the structural characteristics of both the initial silicon carbide and the ion-doped p ⁺-n junctions are established, which limit from above the temperature interval of detector operation in a spectrometric regime. An increase in the efficiency of the diffusion-drift charge transport with increasing temperature has been observed, which is explained by an increase in the diffusion length of minority carriers.