The Effects of Thermal Neutron Irradiation on Current-Voltage and Capacitance-Voltage Characteristics of Au/N-Si Schottky Barrier Diodes

Abstract

To observe the neutron transmutation and displacement damage effects, Au/n-Si/Ag Schottky barrier diodes were exposed to thermal neutron irradiation. Irradiation induced changes in Schottky barrier height, saturation current, and donor concentration were investigated by using current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics of the diodes. The irradiation for 10 s caused a little change in the Schottky diode parameters which were obtained from I-V and C-V measurements. Observable changes in the parameters occurred after the second irradiation of 30 s duration. After the total dose, an increase in saturation current and barrier height inhomogeneties took into place and a decrease in carrier concentration was observed due to the carrier removal effect of thermal neutron-induced damages. Whereas the values of zero bias barrier height have little change after irradiations, the values of ideality factor increased after irradiations. The values of zero-bias barrier height for all diodes was also calculated from reverse bias current characteristics. After second dose, the values of zero-bias barrier height decreased for all diodes. The values of series resistance were determined by Cheung functions before and after irradiations. Before irradiations, the values were found between 2.10 k omega and 2.76 k omega. After second dose, the values of series resistance of all diodes decreased and were found between 1.59 k omega and 2.20 k omega. Furthermore, the proof of thermal neutron transmutation of elements in the devices was given via energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mapping.