SiC vs. Si for High Radiation Environments

Commercial silicon carbide and silicon Schottky barrier power diodes have been subjected to 203 MeV proton irradiation and the effects of the resultant displacement damage on the I-V characteristics have been observed. Changes in forward bias I-V characteristics are reported for fluences up to 4times10
¹⁴
p/cm
²
. For devices of both material types, the series resistance is observed to increase as the fluence increases. The changes in series resistance result from changes in the free carrier concentration due to carrier removal by the defects produced. Calculation of carrier removal rates in both materials reveals that the carrier removal rate in silicon is less than that in silicon carbide, indicating that silicon is the more radiation tolerant material.