Degradation mechanisms of gamma irradiated LWIR HgCdTe photovoltaic detectors

Conference · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA)

OSTI ID:5722084

Sarusi, G; Eger, D; Zemel, A ^[1]; Mainzer, N; Goshen, R; Weiss, E ^[2]

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1. Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne 70600 (IL)
2. SCD-Semiconductor Devices, D.N. Misgav 20179 (IL)

Planar n{sup +}p Hg{sub 1{minus}x}Cd{sub x}Te (x = 0.23) photodiodes passivated with ZnS were irradiated by Co{sup 60} gamma source. A strong increase in the reverse dark current was observed for doses above 0.3 Mrad(air). A similar effect was found by exposing the photodiodes to U.V illumination from a high pressure mercury lamp. By filtering the U.V light it is shown that the degradation in the performance of the photodiodes is caused by the light or radiation absorbed in the ZnS layer above the implanted n-type region. C-V measurements of irradiated MIS devices showed a significant increase in the fast surface state density. Galvanomagnetic and lifetime measurements made on irradiated p-type HgCdTe layer showed no significant changes in the bulk transport parameters. Based on these findings, a model for the degradation mechanism is proposed.

• OSTI ID: 5722084
• Report Number(s): CONF-900723--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA) Journal Volume: 37:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426000 -- Engineering-- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits-- (1990-)
440200* -- Radiation Effects on Instrument Components
Instruments
or Electronic Systems
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AUGMENTATION
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM TELLURIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GALVANOMAGNETIC EFFECT
GAMMA RADIATION
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LIFETIME
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
MERCURY TELLURIDES
MIS TRANSISTORS
PASSIVATION
PERFORMANCE
PHOSPHORS
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
PHOTODETECTORS
PHOTOELECTROMAGNETIC EFFECTS
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSISTORS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC SULFIDES