Radiation hardness of self-powered Si/SiC heterojunction detector under neutron irradiation

When typically confronted with harsh environments in space, semiconductor radiation detectors with low-power consumption and long service life are preferred. To address this concern, a novel Si/SiC heterojunction detector is proposed in this paper. At a neutron irradiation fluence of 1 × 1012 cm−2, the detector has a charge collection efficiency of 96.2% and an energy resolution of 0.95% at 10 V bias at 243Am-244Cm alpha particle detection. It can maintain a charge collection efficiency of 44.2% in the self-powered mode. The detector's performance is improved significantly using the heterojunction structure, extending its carrier lifetime. Due to its exceptional performance in sustaining high charge collection efficiency at low bias or even in self-powered mode following neutron irradiation, the Si/SiC heterojunction detector has been established as a promising option for space radiation detection.