Effect of elevated temperatures (up to 250 °C) on the operating capacity of heavily irradiated p+–n SiC detectors

SiC p+–n structures fabricated by implantation of Al ions into CVD-grown 4H-SiC films have been studied. More than 1017 cm−3 of primary defects was introduced by irradiation with protons (8 MeV, 6×1014 cm−2 fluence). The detectors were tested with 5.8 MeV α-particles in the temperature range 20–250 °C.The accumulation of charge on deep levels associated with radiation defects in the course of testing at room temperature (with the resulting distortion of the electric field) was eliminated in three ways: by raising the operating temperature, by using the unconventional forward bias mode, and by choosing an appropriate signal shaping time.The pattern observed is attributed to the existence of two variants of carrier capture to deep levels: (i) recombination and (ii) localization with a possible thermal release of carriers into the allowed bands.The specified possible ways to form the amplitude spectrum of heavily irradiated SiC detectors are important for providing their operation under extreme conditions.