Influence of fast neutron irradiation on the phase composition and optical properties of homogeneous SiO x and composite
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Influence of fast neutron irradiation on the phase composition and optical properties of homogeneous SiOx and composite Si–SiOx thin films Diana Nesheva1, Zsolt Fogarassy2, Margit Fabian2, Temenuga Hristova-Vasileva1, Attila Sulyok2, Irina Bineva1, Evgenia Valcheva3, Krassimira Antonova1, and Peter Petrik2,*
1
Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee Blvd., 1784 Sofia, Bulgaria Centre for Energy Research, Konkoly Thege Miklos ut 29-33, 1121 Budapest, Hungary 3 Faculty of Physics, Sofia University ‘ St. Kliment Ohridski’’, 5 James Bourchier, Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria 2
Received: 25 June 2020
ABSTRACT
Accepted: 12 September 2020
Layers and devices utilizing semiconductor nanocrystals have been the subjects of intensive research due to applications in opto- and microelectronic devices, solar cells, detectors, memories and in many more fields. We have shown previously that those nanocrystals in dielectric matrices undergo a substantial reformation during electron irradiation. The research of the interaction between semiconductor nanoclusters and irradiation is important for both the intentional modification of the structures and for understanding the stability of those devices under harsh, radiative conditions (e.g. space, nuclear, medical diagnosis, or similar applications). In the present research, we investigated the influence of neutron irradiation on substoichiometric silicon oxide. We investigated both homogeneous case and inhomogeneous case of matrices with silicon nanoclusters. We found that a fast neutron flux of 5.5 9 1013 neutrons/cm2 s and a fluence of 3.96 9 1017 neutrons/cm2 induce phase separation in the homogeneous films, whereas it decreases the volume fraction of the amorphous silicon phase caused by the reducing size of amorphous nanoclusters in the inhomogeneous films.
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Springer Science+Business
Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Handling Editor: Kevin Jones.
Address correspondence to E-mail: [email protected]
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-020-05338-3
J Mater Sci
Introduction Nanosized silicon crystals and amorphous nanoclusters, embedded in wide-gap insulating matrices, have shown significant promises for application in optoelectronics and solar cells [1–5]. Applications in nanoelectronics as charge trapping non-volatile memories based on the floating gate concept [6] and resistive random-access memories [7, 8] have also been proposed. Metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) structures with Ge and Si nanocrystals have been considered for inclusion in dosimeters of ionizing radiation [9–12] and in photodetectors of visible and ultraviolet light [13–16]. The devices using metal– oxide–silicon structures with Si nanoparticles are beneficial because they are compatible with Si-based microfabrication technology. Devices with nanocrystals could be used in fields where a more or less high degree of radiation tolerance is required: space and avionic applications, nuclear power plants, medical diagnostic imaging and therapy, material processing
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