Quantitative analysis of impurities in neutron transmutation-doped silicon carbide wafers using neutron activation analysis
2
조회
0
다운로드
0
인용
0
참고문헌
키워드
초록
Neutron transmutation doping (NTD) modifies the electrical properties of semiconductor materials by irradiating them with neutrons to introduce dopants with high uniformity. Although NTD has been widely utilized for Si semiconductors, its application to SiC, a wide-bandgap material well suited for high-power devices, has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Conventional doping approaches for SiC face challenges, such as lattice damage and impurity contamination. In this regard, NTD is a promising alternative because of its ability to introduce dopants uniformly. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the characteristics of NTD-SiC wafers irradiated in a HANARO research reactor, focusing on residual radioactivity and impurity mass evaluation via neutron activation analysis. Three radioisotopes ( 60Co, 95Zr, and 182Ta) were identified in the NTD-SiC wafers, with 182Ta exhibiting the highest activity of up to 7330 Bq. Impurity analysis revealed significant contributions from 181Ta, with its mass reaching up to 1.37 μg. These findings highlight the importance of controlling tantalum impurities to ensure that NTD-SiC meets the safety standards for residual radioactivity, thereby enabling its reliable application in high-power semiconductor devices.
Abstract
Neutron transmutation doping (NTD) modifies the electrical properties of semiconductor materials by irradiating them with neutrons to introduce dopants with high uniformity. Although NTD has been widely utilized for Si semiconductors, its application to SiC, a wide-bandgap material well suited for high-power devices, has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Conventional doping approaches for SiC face challenges, such as lattice damage and impurity contamination. In this regard, NTD is a promising alternative because of its ability to introduce dopants uniformly. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the characteristics of NTD-SiC wafers irradiated in a HANARO research reactor, focusing on residual radioactivity and impurity mass evaluation via neutron activation analysis. Three radioisotopes ( 60Co, 95Zr, and 182Ta) were identified in the NTD-SiC wafers, with 182Ta exhibiting the highest activity of up to 7330 Bq. Impurity analysis revealed significant contributions from 181Ta, with its mass reaching up to 1.37 μg. These findings highlight the importance of controlling tantalum impurities to ensure that NTD-SiC meets the safety standards for residual radioactivity, thereby enabling its reliable application in high-power semiconductor devices.