Transistor damage characterization by neutron displacement cross section in silicon: experimental

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6167022

Verbinski, V V ^[1]; Cassapakis, C; Pease, R L; Scott, H L

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1. Science Applications, Inc., La Jolla, CA

The validity of the silicon displacement cross section, D(E), was investigated by simultaneous measurements of neutron spectra phi(E) and of the accumulated damage D = Kphi induced in 2N2222A transistors. The measured values of phi(E) were folded in with D(E) to obtain phi/sub eq/, the l-MeV equivalent fluence for damage to silicon, and the ratios D/phi/sub eq/ = K were obtained for diverse shapes of phi(E) to determine the stability of K to phi(E) variations. The value of K was seen to be constant (within 4 to 5%, 1sigma) within roughly the same standard deviation as the D = Kphi measurements for two modified reactor spectra that varied by as much as 1000% above a few MeV when normalized at the 0.2-MeV threshold of D(E). This helps substantiate the validity of D(E) in characterizing diverse neutron fields for radiation damage of a practical silicon transistor. Earlier studies with large-volume silicon diodes, for monoenergetic neutrons of 0.7 to 14 MeV, tend to corroborate the D(E) validity for transistors over this energy range. These results attest to the shape in terms of gross structure of D(E), which is governed by the accuracy of the ENDF/B-IV neutron cross-section evaluation used and of the Robinson functional representation of the Lindhard factor for determining the fraction of recoil-atom and charged particle kinetic energy that is available to cause displacements.

• OSTI ID: 6167022
• Journal Information: Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 70:1; ISSN NSENA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360605 -- Materials-- Radiation Effects
440200* -- Radiation Effects on Instrument Components
Instruments
or Electronic Systems
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DAMAGING NEUTRON FLUENCE
ELEMENTS
IRRADIATION
NEUTRON FLUENCE
NEUTRONIC DAMAGE FUNCTIONS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
TRANSISTORS