Stable Charge Collection and Sub-45 ps Time Resolution in a 4H-SiC PIN Detector Irradiated With Low Fluence 16.5 MeV/u Ta Ions

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that a 4H-SiC PIN detector maintains high charge collection efficiency and sub-45 ps time resolution even after irradiation with high-energy Ta ions, indicating excellent radiation hardness.

Contribution

The paper reports the fabrication and evaluation of a 4H-SiC PIN detector that retains stable electrical, charge collection, and timing performance after heavy ion irradiation, showcasing its suitability for radiation-hard environments.

Findings

Charge collection efficiency remains above 99% after irradiation.

Time resolution stays below 45 ps post-irradiation.

Electrical properties show minimal variation after heavy ion exposure.

Abstract

A silicon carbide PIN detector was fabricated and its radiation tolerance under Ta heavy ion irradiation of 2370 MeV was evaluated. Its electrical properties, charge collection performance and time resolution of $\beta$-particles ($^{90}$Sr) are reported. The leakage currents for unirradiated and irradiated 4H-SiC PIN detectors are $1.47 \times 10^{-10}$~A @ 300 V and 1.49~$\times$ 10$^{-10}$A@ 300 V. The effective doping concentrations for unirradiated and irradiated 4H-SiC PIN detectors are $6.23\times 10^{13}$~cm$^{-3}$ and $6.13\times 10^{13}$~cm$^{-3}$. The irradiated detector exhibits good electrical performance and stable device architecture. The 4H-SiC PIN detector exhibits a charge collection efficiency (CCE) of 99.24\% under Ta Heavy Ion Irradiation. The time resolutions of the detector before and after irradiation are 40 ps and 45 ps, respectively. Experimental results indicate that the CCE and time resolution performance exhibit good stability before and after irradiation. These results demonstrate stable performance under Ta heavy ion irradiation, highlighting the detectors potential for radiation-hard applications in high-energy physics, space missions, and nuclear reactor monitoring.