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Semi-transparent SiC Schottky diodes for X-ray spectroscopy

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Alton Horsfall, Dr Konstantin VasilevskiyORCiD, Professor Nick Wright

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Abstract

We describe a novel SiC Schottky diode architecture. The semi-transparent SiC Schottky diode has an "ultra-thin" (18 nm Ni/Ti) Schottky contact, a gold annular overlayer and a gold corner-contact pad. We show that the new architecture exhibits the same essential characteristics as a more conventional "thick-contact" Schottky diode (≥100 nm). Such diodes will have a higher efficiency for low-energy (<5 keV) X-rays than that of conventional structures combined with minimal self-fluorescence from the electrode materials. We present X-ray spectra from 55Fe, 109Cd and 241Am radioactive sources that show these diodes can be used for spectroscopy with promising energy resolution (1.47 keV FWHM at 22 keV) at room temperature (23 °C). The reduction in contact thickness, however, does reduce the barrier height of the new diodes in comparison to those fabricated using the conventional process, and requires a trade-off between the low-energy detection threshold and the noise in the detector. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Lees JE, Bassford DJ, Fraser GW, Horsfall AB, Vassilevski KV, Wright NG, Owens A

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

Year: 2007

Volume: 578

Issue: 1

Pages: 226-234

ISSN (print): 0168-9002

ISSN (electronic): 1872-9576

Publisher: Elsevier

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2007.05.172

DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2007.05.172


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