Project Title:

Silicon-Carbide, High-Resolution, Room-Temperature X-Ray Detector

92-1-08.10-1100                                                   NAS05-32404
Silicon-Carbide, High-Resolution, 
     Room-Temperature X-Ray Detector
Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
7 Commerce Drive
Danbury, CT  06810
Bo Yang Lin                                          (203-794-1100)

Abstract:

     A semiconductor's usefulness as a high-resolution, room-
temperature radiation detector is dictated primarily by the
requirement for small leakage currents. Most work in this area has
been focused on silicon diodes which have achieved significant
advances in recent years. Wide-bandgap semiconductors have
inherently low leakage currents but have so far been overlooked
because of their relatively early development stage. Recent
advances in the fabrication of 6H-silicon-carbide (SiC) devices
have changed this situation since diodes with extremely low
leakage currents have been made and characterized. 6H-SiC
detectors should have significantly higher resolution at or near
room temperature than their silicon counterparts. Furthermore, 6H-
SiC has excellent stability in severe physical and chemical
environments, and is more resistant to radiation damage than
silicon. This project will examine the use of SiC diodes as sub-
keV x-ray detectors at or near room temperature. The feasibility
of this concept will be demonstrated in Phase I, while Phase II
will focus on device optimization and testing in conjunction with
NASA.

Potential Commercial Application:

Potential Commercial Applications:  The ability to produce high-
resolution, room-temperature x-ray detectors will lay the
groundwork for a broad spectrum of commercial detectors including
ultra-violet, particle, and other types of detectors where
radiation-hardness and room-temperature operation are required.

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