Neutron Irradiation Effects on Some Semiconductor Devices Performance

Abstract

Neutron irradiation effects on the electrical properties of the silicon devices (IMPATT diode and solar cell) have been studied in detail. A neutron fluence of 8.45 × 1015 neutrons/cm2 was found to cause a permanent damage on the silicon IMPATT diode leading to a pronounced increase in the reverse saturation current and reverse avalanche breakdown voltage, as well as to a change in the I-V-relationship. In addition, the temperature coefficient of the device breakdown voltage becomes negative. Under the same neutron fluence exposure, silicon solar cell looses most of its output characteristics. Increasing the neutron fluence up to 1.872 × 1018 neutrons/cm2, both devices loose their characteristic features as rectifying de,ices and behave as linear restistances Neutron activation of the elemental constitution of the devices implies the possibility of transforming them to a radioactive sources.