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Isotopenpraxis Isotopes in Environmental and Health

Studies
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Neutron Irradiation Effects on Some Semiconductor

Devices Performance
M. S. I. Rageh , H. A. Ashry , A. Z. El-Behay & F. A. S. Soliman
a
National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology , Nasr City P.O. Box 29, Nasr
City, Cairo, Egypt
b
Nuclear Materials Corporation , El-Maadi-Kattamiya Road, El-Maadi P.O. Box 530, Cairo,
Egypt
Published online: 21 Aug 2008.

To cite this article: M. S. I. Rageh , H. A. Ashry , A. Z. El-Behay & F. A. S. Soliman (1988) Neutron Irradiation Effects on
Some Semiconductor Devices Performance, Isotopenpraxis Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies, 24:9, 345-348,
DOI: 10.1080/10256018808623994

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 liageh ot al.: Neutron Irradiation Effects

Isotopenpraxis 2-1 (1988) 9, pp. 345-318

Neutron Irradiation Effects on Some Semiconductor Devices Performance

M. S. I. liageh, H. A. Ashry, A. Z. El-Behay
National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology, Nasr City P.O. Box 29, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt

F. A. S. Soliman
Nuclear Materials Corporation, El-Maadi-Kattamiya Road, El-Maadi P.O. Box 530, Cairo, Egypt

Neutron irradiation effects on the electrical properties of the silicon devices (IMPATT diode and solar cell) have been
studied in detail. A neutron f licence of 8.45 X 101'neutrons/cm2 was found to cause a permanent damage on the silicon
IMPATT diode leading to a pronounced increase in the reverse saturation current and reverse avalanche breakdown
voltage, as well as to a change in the 1-V-relationship. In addition, the temperature coefficient of the device breakdown
voltage becomes negative. Under the same neutron fluence exposure, silicon solar cell looses most of its output characte-
ristics. Increasing the neutron fluence up to 1.872 X 10n neutronsjem-, both devices loose their characteristic features
as rectifying de'ices and behave as linear restistances Neutron activation of the elemental constitution of the devices
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implies the possibility of transforming them to a radioactive sources.

Es icurden die Strahlungseffekte von Neutronen auf die elektrischen Eigenschaften von Silichun-Geraten (IMPATT-
Dioclen und Solarzellen) im einzelnen untersucht. Eine Neutronenfluenz von 8,45 • JO15 Neutronen/cms verursacht eine
bleibende Zerstorung der Silicium IMPATT-Diode und fithrt zu einer deutlichen Zunahme im Sattigungsruckstrcm
und in der Lawinen-Zundsperrspannung und auch zu Anderungen in der Strom-Spannungscharakteristik. Aufierdem
wird der Temperaturkoeffizient der Zundspannung der Bauteile negativ. Unier denselbin Neutrcnenfluenzen verlieren
die Solarzellen die meisten ihrer Ausgangsgrb'fien. Bei einer ueiteren Zunahme der Neutrcnevfluenz bis zu 1,872 • I01S
Neutronen /cm2 verlieren beide Bauteile Hire Charakleristik als Iiichtleiter und verhalten &ich wie lineare Widerstunde.
Die Neutronenaktivierung der Elemenlzusammensetzung der Geriile kann sie in eine radioakliveQuelle umuandeln.

Keywords
breakdown; damaging neutron fluence; irradiation; physical radiation effects; semiconductor devices; silicon solar
cells; solar cells

1. Introduction Tho ET-RR-1 Research Reactor of Egypt with core flux

of 1.0 X 1013 n/cm ! /s, a plutonium-beryllium source of
Atomic collision and electronic ionization are the two main 0.5 Ci and an americium-beryllium source of 1.1 X 107 n/
mechanisms of energy deposition on a semiconductor de- cm2/s were used for irradiation.
vice exposed to high energy radiation. This energy trans-
fer process depends on both, typo of radiation and nature
of the device. The initially produced defect as a result of 2. Experimental Results and Discussion
exposure to radiation is quite simple and can bo expressed
as a singlo displaced lattice atom and its associated va- 2.1. IMPATT Diodes
cancy (Frankel Defect [1]). Irradiation with neutrons is
thought to produce regions of damage containing several DG — Characteristics. The IMPATT device is permanently
hundred displaced atoms (clusters). It can bo shown that damaged after exposure to neutron fluenco of 8.45 X
point defects act as energy states within the forbidden 1015n/cm2. This effect leads to the interruption of the
gap of the semiconductor. As a result of this energy states; IMPATT device (I—V) characteristics as shown in Fig. 1.
carrier removal, mobility degradation, conductivity modu- An increase in the reverse saturation current and roverso
lation and minority carriers lifetime degradation are ex- breakdown voltage after irradiation can bo noticed from
pected [2, 3]. Several works had been performed to explore tho same figure. This changes may bo attributed to a widon-
the effect of gamma-rays and electrons on semiconductor ing of the space charge region for tho same applied reverse
devices [4, 5]. Tho use of neutrons as projectiles for study- voltage value [7]. This distortion may be caused also by
ing their effects on semiconductor devices is interesting trapped charges in tho depletion region.
because neutrons deal mainly with the nucleus and not As a result of the increase in tho saturation current under
with tho atomic electrons which are responsible for tho irradiation, tho forward {I—V) relationship shifts toward
electric behaviour of the device. These neutrons cause a lower voltage (at neutron fluence around 1.5 X 1012 n/
defects directly in the lattice through atomic displacement cm2). For higher neutron fluences (8.45 x 10 u n/cm 2 ), the
[0]. forward voltage tends to increase (Fig. 2).
Tho present work aims to study tho effects caused by Tho changes in tho forward (I—V) characteristics are
neutron irradiation in tho electrical properties of the due to the formation of a very narrow intrinsic region in
IMPATT diodes and solar cells. tho neighborhood of the metallurgical pn-junction [7].

Isotopenprnxis 21 (1088) 0 345

 Hagch et al.: Neutron Irradiation Effects

Reverse Bics Voltage ,V

II? .60 40 20

I3

u
aa.
3-6(5
Irradiated up to
20 40 60 8.45x10 l5 n/cm?
Voltage, V
i
Fig. 1. Current-voltage characteristics for silicon IMPATT diode con-
nected in the reverse bias mode Fig. 3. Capacitance-voltage characteristics of silicon IMPATT diodo in
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 11:02 05 January 2015

tho reverse bias mode before and after neutrons exposure up to

8.45 x 10" neutrons/cm*

Fluence, Neutron/cm:

90 0.00
1.50 xlO 1 2
<
8 45 x 10
60
o

30

02 0.4 06 08
Voltage//
Fig. 2. Forward current-voltage relationship for silicon IMPATT diode
under the influence of neutron irradiation

Compensation of the chemical doping by radiation-produc-

ed deep traps will tend to produce such a region. At low
flucnecs where the generation current by recombination
centers in the depletion region dominates the characteri-
stics, the increase in the volumo of the generation by form-
ation of an intrinsic layer gives rise to a significant increase
in the forward current. At higher doses (8.45 X 1015 n/cm2),
the published value of the diffusion length is estimated to
bo around 0.3 fiin [8], hence a significant voltage drop across
this intrinsic region, causing the noticed shifts in the cha-
racteristics and as shown in Fig. 2.
(C—V) Relationship. Tho above mentioned defects duo
to neutron irradiation of tho IMPATT devices have been
confirmed by studying the changes in their (/ — V) charac-
teristics. Fig. 3 shows that exposing tho diodo to neutron
fluence of 8.45 X 10 u n/cm 2 reduces tho depletion capa-
citance and increases tho breakdown voltngo to about
COV.
20 AO
Volage,V
Fig. 1. Heverse (/ — V) characteristics for IMPATT diode at different
temperature levels
Temperature Effects. The temperature stability of tho
diode performance have been examined by measuring its
(/— V) characteristics at different temperature levels
(Fig. 4). A pronounced increase in the reverse saturation
current takes place by increasing tho diodo temperature.
A plot of tho breakdown voltage as a function of tempera-
ture (Fig. 5), leads to a temperature coefficient of 0.08C V/
C
C which is in a good agreement with the previously publish-
ed data [8]; where it was reported that tho critical field of
the junction increases with temperature.

34G Isotopenpraxis 21 (10S8) 9

 llagch et al.: Neutron Irradiation Effects

60 £30f-
Forward Bias
Initial Characteristics
en
a
jlO-

1.0 2.0
a
Voltage.V
CD
52 Irradiated up to
-30 -4°-
-20 -10

d 5 Neutnon/tm 2
10
•J-*.
a>
50 # 90 130 Reverse Bias
Temperature^ 0/
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 11:02 05 January 2015

Fig. 5. Temperature dependence of breakdown voltage for IMPATT 12

diodes
30S;
Fig. 7. (/ — I') characteristics for a PX-junction solar cell before
( ) and after ( ) exposure to neutron radiation up to
1.872 x 10" neutrons/cm'; (a) forward bias mode and (b) reverse
50 bias mode

<40
1.6
|30 <

t08
10 U

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

Voltage,V -60 30 60
Fig. C. Current-voltage characteristics for a 20 mm x 10 mm silicon
Voltoge.V
solar cell; (1) initial characteristics, (2) after exposure to S.15 x
10" ncutrons/cm :

After irradiation with neutron fluence of 8.45 X 1015 n/

cm2 a breakdown voltage temperature coefficient value of
— 0.15 V/°C has been obtained (Fig. 0). This effect can be
attributed to an increase in trap release rate for trapped
charges with temperaturo increase duo to carrier removal
effect [9]. If this happens on a localized basis, a hot spot
and device burnout can occur.
Solar cell characteristics. The present work has been ox-
tended to include the transient and permanent effects on
silicon solar cell characteristics duo to neutron irradiation.
A set of silicon solar cells of 10 mm X 5 mm in dimen-
sions was used in the present study: It was found that on
exposure to low neutron flux of 1.1 X 107 n/cm ! /s from
americium-beryllium source, the short circuit current (/sc)
is not affected. This, of course, is duo to the fact that neu-
trons have a low ionization effect as it penetrates through
the devices. It was reported that the effect of ionizing
radiation with dose rato of 1 rad/s is equivalent to a neutron
flux of 9.1 X 109n/cm2/s at energy of 1 MoV in silicon
devices [10].
In case of neutron fluences up to S.45 X 1015n/cm2,
the short circuit current and the open circuit voltage (Foc)
are affected and about G0% loss of the solar cell output
power have boon measured (Fig. 7).
Fig. 8. Current-voltage characteristics for IMPATT diode exposed to
neutrons up to 1.872 x 10" neutrons/cm'
Increasing the noutron fluence up to 1.872 x 1018 n/cm2,
the solar cell devices loose their main featiiro as rectifying
devices and behavo as linear resistances (Fig. 8). This
effect is also confirmed in case of the IMPATT diode
(Fig. 9).
Neutron activation analysis. During the course of this
study, the irradiated samples at neutron fluence of 1.872 X
1018 n/cm2 were found to bo highly active. Hence, this gave
us tho opportunity to identify tho isotopic contents of the
irradiated samples via a detailed gamm-rays spectrometric
analysis.
A conventional high resolution gamma-ray spectrometer,
consisting of Go hyper puro solid state detector connected
to appropriate electronics and 4090 channel analyzer
was used to study tho obtained gamma-rays spectra.
Series of gamma-rays spectra wero measured for the
silicon IMPATT device after time periods of 2, 8, 21 months

Isotopenpraxis 24 (19S8) 9 347

 llagcti et al.: Neutron Irradiation Effects

g gg2 99gB o o ggg 0 a go 00 o

^)p £ 1 £Z ^
• • ( • •
-o < <«\<
" " " "

10

\C
• %

. Typical Pulse Helgrit

Spectrum from Aq-H0[ll)

SCO 1CCC 15CC

Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 11:02 05 January 2015

Energy.KeV
see lac i5oo 2OC0
Fig. 9. Gamma-ray Spectrum for silicon IMPATT diode irradiated with Energ/.KeV
1 x 10" neutrons/cmVs for 48 h
Fig. 10. Gamma-ray spectrum for silicon IMPATT diode irradiated
with 1 x 10" neutrons/em'/s for 48 h
cooling time. It is clear that all short lived isotopes are
absent in tho studied spectra. Threo main isotopes having
appropriate lifetimes arc seen in tho spectra, these are 59Fo, 3. By very high neutron fluences of 1.872 X 1018n/oms,
60
Co and ll0 Ag indicating tho presence of the stable isoto- both devices loose their main features and behave as
pes of these elements in tho studied devices. linear resistance. Radioactive devices result also after
Tho gamma-ray spectrum for tho irradiated solar cell such high fluence exposure.
was examined after six months cooling time. It is clear
that the gamma-lines in both spectra are in close agree- Received June 15, 1987
ment assuring the presence of silver in tho solar cell samp- Accepted in revised form July 21, 19S7
les.

3. Conclusions
AVe have shown that irradiation of IMPATT diode and
solar coll with neutrons has tho following effects on their
performance:
1. The (I— V) relationship for the IMPATT diodo shifts
. towards lower voltage values as a result of device ex-
posure to a neutron fluence up to 1.2 X 1012 n/cm2.
For higher flucneo values at 8.45 X 10 u n/cm2, this
behaviour changed and the forward voltage tends to
increase. As well as, both the reverse saturation current
and breakdown voltage increases. Also, tho breakdown
voltage temperature coefficient becomes negative.
2. In case of solar cell devices, no transient effects have
been noticed on exposure to neutron flux up to 1.1 X
10 7 n/cm 2 /s. On tho other hand, for fluences of 8.45 X
1015 n/cm2 tho solar cell is found to loose more than 00%
of its output power.
References
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Consultant Bureau 1905
[2] M. G. BuecMer, IEEE Trans. Xucl. Sei. 17 (1970) 341
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Sci. Appl. 1 (1984) 79
[5] M. S. I. liarjeh, A. Z. El-Behay, F. A. S. Soliman, "Application of
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8 - 1 2 , 1984
[G] B. R. Gossick, Appl. Phys. 30 (1959) 1214
[7] D. K. Wilson et al., "Itadiation Effects on Silicon Avalanche Dio-
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[8] Jr. Schockley, Bell System Tech. Jour. 33 (1954) 799
[9] E. P. Ear-Xisse, Appl. Phys. Lett. 1C (1970) 506
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[111 K. Debcrlin, "A Guide and Instruction for Determining Gamma —
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348 Isotopenpraxis 24 (19S8) 9