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Title: High-resolution radiation detection using Ni/SiO 2 /n-4H-SiC vertical metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0059151· OSTI ID:1850521
ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States). Dept. of Electrical Engineering
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In this article, we demonstrate the radiation detection performance of vertical metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors fabricated on 20 μm thick n-4H-SiC epitaxial layers with the highest energy resolution ever reported. The 100 nm SiO2 layer was achieved on the Si face of n-4H-SiC epilayers using dry oxidation in air. The Ni/SiO2/n-4H-SiC MOS detectors not only demonstrated an excellent energy resolution of 0.42% (ΔE/E 100) for 5.48 MeV alpha particles but also caused a lower enhancement in the electronic noise components of the spectrometer compared with that observed for the best high-resolution Schottky barrier detectors. The MOS detectors also exhibited a high charge collection efficiency (CCE) of 96% at the optimized operating bias despite the presence of the oxide layer. A drift-diffusion model applied to the CCE vs gate bias voltage data revealed a minority (hole) carrier diffusion length of 24 μm. Capacitance mode deep level transient spectroscopy (C-DLTS) scans in the temperature range 84–800 K were carried out to identify the resolution limiting electrically active defects. Interestingly, the C-DLTS spectra revealed both positive and negative peaks, indicating the simultaneous presence of electron (majority) and hole (minority) trap centers. It has been inferred that at the steady-state bias for the C-DLTS measurement, the MOS detector operates in the inversion mode at certain device temperatures, causing holes to populate the minority trap centers and, hence, manifests minority carrier peaks as well.

Research Organization:
Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States); UT-Battelle LLC/ORNL, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE); University of South Carolina
Grant/Contract Number:
NE0008662; AC07-05ID14517; 15530-E404; 15530-E422
OSTI ID:
1850521
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 130, Issue 7; ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
Physics
electronic noise
stochastic processes
alpha particles
metal-oxide-semiconductor
deep level transient spectroscopy
epitaxy
ionization chambers
MOS devices
Schottky barriers
amplifiers