A study of low noise JFETs exposed to large doses of gamma-rays and neutrons

The monolithic process has proved able to retain the radiation hardness characteristics of discrete JFETs (junction field-effect transistors) up to 1 MGy (100 Mrad) of /sup 60/Co gamma rays. Neutron irradiation tests on discrete devices confirm that Si JFETs show very moderate damage up to 10/sup 13/ Ncm/sup -2/. In comparative tests Si JFET preamplifiers have been irradiated up to 600 kGy (60 Mrad) of gamma rays and up to 4*10/sup 14/ Ncm/sup -2/. The preamplifiers were able to withstand the tests and have shown less radiation sensitivity than GaAs MESFET preamplifiers in the region of peaking times longer than approximately=40 ns. The results are of interest in connection with the survival of front-end electronics for hadron collider experiments which may be subject to in excess of 30 Mrad of ionizing radiation and 10/sup 14/ Ncm/sup -2/ over a 10-year period.<
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