Current-voltage characteristics of neutron irradiated nanocrystalline silicon carbide (3CSiC)

At the present work, nanocrystalline silicon carbide (3CSiC) irradiated by neutrons (2 × 1013 n/cm2s) up to 20 h. The current-voltage (IV) characteristics of the nanocrystalline 3CSiC particles have been investigated in the voltage range of −100 V to + 100 V with a 5 V step. The slope of the line changed at the IV characteristic of the nanomaterial after neutron irradiation. Simultaneously, the resistance of nanocrystalline 3CSiC decreased approximately from 4 MΩ to 1 MΩ after neutron irradiation. Moreover, the Fowler-Nordheim plots showed that the processes occurred in the nanomaterial were directly based on a tunnel effect and no field emission was observed. It is clear from Fowler-Nordheim plots that, thermal activity is dominated at the all experimental intervals.