Title of Paper:Effects of 10 MeV electron irradiation on the characteristics of gallium-nitride-based pin alpha-particle detectors

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Date of Publication:2018-09-11

Journal:NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS IN PHYSICS RESEARCH SECTION A-ACCELERATORS SPECTROMETERS DETECTORS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT

Included Journals:SCIE

Volume:902

Page Number:9-13

ISSN No.:0168-9002

Key Words:High-energy electron; GaN; Alpha particle; Electron irradiation; Charge collection efficiency

Abstract:GaN-based pin alpha-particle detectors grown on sapphire substrates have been subjected to 10 MeV electron irradiation over a cumulative dose range of 0 to 200 kGy. The pre- and post-irradiation detectors have been characterized with current-voltage and capacitance-voltage measurements, charge collection efficiency (CCE), and alpha-particle pulse-height spectroscopy. The results show that the performance of the detectors underwent significant changes due to enhanced carrier-hopping conductivity through defect states and deep-level traps in the space-charge region induced by the 10 MeV electron irradiation. Such detectors can be used for alpha detection with confidence in an environment of background high energy electrons, up to a dose of about 200 kGy, and the response can degrade rapidly if the dose exceeds 200 kGy. In this work, the maximum CCE was achieved in a detectors irradiated with a cumulative dose of 100 kGy.