Active in-core irradiation of SiC JFETs at 300 C in a TRIGA nuclear reactor

Technical Report · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/481561· OSTI ID:481561

McGarrity, J; Scozzie, C; Blackburn, J; DeLancey, M

In this paper the authors demonstrate that SiC transistors have the potential to operate in the severe high temperature and radiation environments of commercial and space nuclear power sources. 6H-SiC FETs were exposed to neutron fluxes and gamma dose rates as high as 1.6 {times} 10{sup 12} n/cm{sup 2}/sec and 3.8 {times} 10{sup 4} rad(Si)/sec while they were maintained under bias at both 300 C and room temperature within the core of a TRIGA reactor operated at 200 kW power level. The radiation exposure was continuous and the bias on the devices was interrupted only to record the current-voltage characteristics at various accumulated neutron fluences from 10{sup 13} to 5 {times} 10{sup 15} n/cm{sup 2}. No significant degradation in the device characteristics was observed until the total neutron fluence exceeded 10{sup 15} n/cm{sup 2} for irradiation at 25 C, and no significant changes were observed even at 5 {times} 10{sup 15} n/cm{sup 2} at 300 C.

• Research Organization: Army Research Lab., Adelphi, MD (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Washington, DC (United States); Defense Nuclear Agency, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AI03-94SF20406
• OSTI ID: 481561
• Report Number(s): CONF-9606159--7; ON: DE97005986
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

44 INSTRUMENTATION
INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS
GAMMA RADIATION
NEUTRONS
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
SILICON CARBIDES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE