Neutron detection using boron gallium nitride semiconductor material

Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2014 · APL Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4868176· OSTI ID:22269548

Atsumi, Katsuhiro ^[1]; Inoue, Yoku; Nakano, Takayuki ^[2]; Mimura, Hidenori; Aoki, Toru ^[3]

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1. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu 432-8561 (Japan)
2. Department of Electrical and Materials Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu 432-8561 (Japan)
3. Research Institute of Electronics, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu 432-8011 (Japan)

In this study, we developed a new neutron-detection device using a boron gallium nitride (BGaN) semiconductor in which the B atom acts as a neutron converter. BGaN and gallium nitride (GaN) samples were grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy, and their radiation detection properties were evaluated. GaN exhibited good sensitivity to α-rays but poor sensitivity to γ-rays. Moreover, we confirmed that electrons were generated in the depletion layer under neutron irradiation. This resulted in a neutron-detection signal after α-rays were generated by the capture of neutrons by the B atoms. These results prove that BGaN is useful as a neutron-detecting semiconductor material.

• OSTI ID: 22269548
• Journal Information: APL Materials, Vol. 2, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2014 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2166-532X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
DEPLETION LAYER
GALLIUM NITRIDES
IRRADIATION
NEUTRON CONVERTERS
NEUTRON DETECTION
NEUTRONS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SENSITIVITY
VAPOR PHASE EPITAXY