Radiation resistance of SiC and nuclear-radiation detectors based on SiC films

Available results of studying the radiation resistance of SiC and developing the nuclear-radiation detectors based on SiC are analyzed. The data on the ionization energies, capture cross sections, and plausible structure of the centers formed in SiC as a result of irradiation with various particles are reported. The effect of irradiation on the charge-carrier concentration and recombination processes is considered. Two aspects are covered in describing the results of designing SiC-based detectors and studying the detector parameters. First, the specific potential of SiC detectors for solving problems in nuclear physics is considered; typical examples of detector applications are given. Second, the relationship between detector characteristics and the properties of the starting material is considered; a number of methods for determining the specific parameters of SiC based on the characteristics of detectors are described. It is concluded that recent progress in the growth of high-quality SiC films (the difference impurity concentration ranges from 3 x 10(14)-3 x 10(15) cm(-3) and the density of micropipe defects is no higher than 1 cm(-2)) makes it possible to include SiC in the class of materials that can be used to fabricate advanced nuclear detectors. The technological potential of SiC has been far from exhausted; undoubtedly, various configurations of SiC-based detectors (including multielement configurations) will be developed in the near future. (C) 2004 MAIK Nauka / Interperiodica.