Development and characterization of zone melt growth GaAs for gamma-ray detectors

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/23.507069· OSTI ID:277673

King, S E; Dietrich, H B; Henry, R L; Katzer, D S; Moore, W J; Phillips, G W ^[1]; Mania, R C ^[2]

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1. Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (United States)
2. Kentucky State Univ., Frankfort, KY (United States)

GaAs is a potentially attractive material for room temperature x-ray and {gamma}-ray spectrometers. To date, the only high resolution GaAs devices were produced by epitaxial growth. The usefulness of detectors made from bulk grown semi-insulating (SI) GaAs has been limited by low charge collection efficiency caused, it is believed, by the high density of EL2 deep donor defects. Vertical zone melt (VZM) growth of GaAs has recently been developed at the Naval Research Laboratory. Zone refining and zone leveling techniques were used with VZM to reduce the level of impurities and the EL2 defects in bulk SI-GaAs. Schottky barrier and PIN diodes have been fabricated from the newly grown material. These devices were characterized using {alpha} particles and {gamma}-rays. In this paper, the measurements and analysis of the first VZM GaAs devices are presented and compared with commercially available GaAs. The intent is to test the hypothesis that high purity, low defect GaAs material growth could lead to improved radiation detectors.

• OSTI ID: 277673
• Report Number(s): CONF-951073--
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science Journal Issue: 3Pt2 Vol. 43; ISSN 0018-9499; ISSN IETNAE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
44 INSTRUMENTATION
INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS
ALPHA PARTICLES
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GAMMA SPECTROMETERS
MATERIALS
SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
X-RAY SPECTROMETERS