High-resolution short range ion detectors based on 4H-SiC films

The energy resolution of SiC detectors has been studied in application to the spectrometry of alpha particles with 5.1-5.5 MeV energies. The Schottky barrier structure of the detector was based on a CVD-grown epitaxial n-4H-SiC film with a thickness of 26 mum and an uncompensated donor concentration of (1-2) x 10(15) cm(-3). An energy resolution of 0.5% achieved for the first time with SiC detectors allows fine structure of the alpha particle spectrum to be revealed. The average energy of the electron-hole pair formation in 4H-SiC is estimated at 7.71 eV. (C) 2004 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".