Dielectric loss of neutron-irradiated nanocrystalline silicon carbide (3C-SiC) as a function of frequency and temperature

At the present work, nanocrystalline 3C-SiC has been irradiated by neutron flux (2 × 1013 n·cm−2s−1) up to 20 h in a TRIGA Mark II type research reactor. The dielectric loss of nanocrystalline 3C-SiC was studied comparatively before and after neutron irradiation. The increased dielectric loss was clearly observed after neutron irradiation in both f(tanδ) ∼ f(f) and f(tanδ) ∼ f(T) plots. Furthermore, slope observed on the f(tanδ) ∼ f(f) plots at certain values of the frequency. Dielectric loss increasing and shifted slope explained by the neutron transmutation, dangling bonds, the formation of the defects or additional charge carriers. Moreover, the mechanism of all effects obtained from the experiments was explained by the polarization approach.