Neutron irradiation effects in GaAs
Changes in electrical properties of n-GaAs as a result of irradiations with fast neutron have been studied, after epitaxial layers doped with Si at concentrations in the range 1.35 x 10[sup 15] to 1.60 x 10[sup 16] cm[sup [minus]3] were irradiated with reactor neutron fluences up to 1.31 x 10[sup 15] cm [sup [minus]2]. When the changes in carrier concentration, Hall mobility and resistivity were more than 25% of their initial values, nonlinear dependence on neutron fluence was apparent. New theory is proposed which explains the changes in electrical properties in terms of rates of trapping and release of charges. A theoretical relationship is derived for the change in carrier concentration as a function of neutron fluence and Fermi level shift was found to be consistent with the observed changes in carrier concentration. A correlation has been found between the changes in carrier concentration and mobility with neutron fluence using newly defined physically meaningful parameters in the case of two pairs of samples. The correlation has been explained in terms of the increased scattering of charge carriers from the defects created by neutrons that trap the free carriers. Mobility changes were measured at temperatures from 15 K to 305 K in n-GaAs van-der Pauw samples irradiated by fast reactor neutrons. The inverse mobility values obtain versus temperature, from the variable temperature Hall measurements, in the case of irradiated and in-irradiated samples were fitted using the relation [mu][sup [minus]1] = T[sup [minus]3/2] + B T[sup 3/2]. The inverse mobility increased as a result of neutron irradiations over the whole range of temperature, the increase being attributed to the increased scattering from neutron induced charged defects.
- Research Organization:
- Illinois Univ., Urbana, IL (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 6657597
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
360104* -- Metals & Alloys-- Physical Properties
360106 -- Metals & Alloys-- Radiation Effects
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
BARYONS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FAST NEUTRONS
FERMIONS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HADRONS
IRRADIATION
NEUTRONS
NUCLEONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES