Effect of Electron Irradiation with an Energy of 0.9 MeV on the I–V Characteristics and Low-Frequency Noise in 4H–SiC pin Diodes

Abstract

It is established experimentally that noticeable changes in the I–V characteristics and low-frequency noise in 4H-SiC pin diodes irradiated by electrons with an energy of 0.9 MeV are observed after doses of Φ ≥ 1.4 × 1015 cm–2. The currents in the forward and reverse branches of the I–V characteristics vary nonmonotonically at voltages lower than 2 V with increasing dose, which is explained by the interaction between the excited electronic subsystem and metastable defects. In this case, a steady increase in the ideality factor and the series resistance of diodes in the region of exponential growth of the I–V characteristics at voltages exceeding 2 V is observed. The reliable operation of microwave devices with low-noise 4H-SiC pin diodes under conditions of electron irradiation is possible up to a cumulative dose of Φ ≤ 1015 cm–2. In microwave devices, the level of low-frequency noise in which is irrelevant but the stabile regime of parameters is of importance, the dose can be increased to Φ ≈ 8 × 1015 cm–2.