Analysis of Radiation Effects in Silicon using Kinetic Monte Carlo Methods

Journal Article · Tue Nov 25 00:00:00 EST 2014 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2014.2368075· OSTI ID:1182974

Hehr, Brian Douglas ^[1]

---

1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

The transient degradation of semiconductor device performance under irradiation has long been an issue of concern. Neutron irradiation can instigate the formation of quasi-stable defect structures, thereby introducing new energy levels into the bandgap that alter carrier lifetimes and give rise to such phenomena as gain degradation in bipolar junction transistors. Normally, the initial defect formation phase is followed by a recovery phase in which defect-defect or defect-dopant interactions modify the characteristics of the damaged structure. A kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) code has been developed to model both thermal and carrier injection annealing of initial defect structures in semiconductor materials. The code is employed to investigate annealing in electron-irradiated, p-type silicon as well as the recovery of base current in silicon transistors bombarded with neutrons at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) “Blue Room” facility. Our results reveal that KMC calculations agree well with these experiments once adjustments are made, within the appropriate uncertainty bounds, to some of the sensitive defect parameters.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1182974
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1496712
• Report Number(s): SAND--2014-15622J; 533598
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 61; ISSN 0018-9499
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
bipolar transistors
charge carrier lifetime
crystalline defects
displacement damage
kinetic monte carlo (KMC)
radiation effects
silicon