Depletion depth measurements of new large area silicon carbide detectors

TL;DR

This study characterizes large area silicon carbide detectors using ion beam techniques to measure depletion depth, aiding their development for particle identification in nuclear physics experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a method to accurately measure depletion depths of new large area silicon carbide detectors using proton microprobe techniques.

Findings

Detectors can be fully depleted with proper epitaxial layer growth.

Empirical correction improves energy loss measurement accuracy.

Depletion depths are quantified at full depletion voltage.

Abstract

The ion beam induced charge technique with proton microprobe is used to characterise newly developed p-n junction large area silicon carbide detectors. They were recently produced as part of the ongoing program to develop a new particle identification wall for the focal plane detector of the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer at INFN - Laboratori Nazionali del Sud in view of the NUMEN experimental campaigns. Four silicon carbide devices are studied. Proton beams over a 1.26 to 6.00 MeV incident energy range are used to probe the active area and the depletion depth of each device. The energy loss tables for the silicon carbide material are checked, finding an empirical correction that is then used to quantify the depletion depth at the full depletion voltage through energy loss measurements of 3.40 MeV proton beams irradiating the back side of the devices. It is possible to fully deplete the devices provided that the epitaxial layer is grown properly on the substrate.