Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: This paper reports on the device processing and characterization of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) based solid-state thermal neutron detectors, where hBN thickness varied from 2.5 to 15 μm. These natural hBN epilayers (with 19.9% 10B) were grown by a low pressure chemical vapor deposition process. Complete dry processing was adopted for the fabrication of these metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) configuration detectors. These detectors showed intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiency values of 0.86%, 2.4%, 3.15%, and 4.71% for natural hBN thickness values of 2.5, 7.5, 10, and 15 μm, respectively. Measured efficiencies are very close (≥92%) to the theoretical maximum efficiencies for corresponding hBN thickness values for these detectors. This clearly shows the hBN thickness scalability of these detectors. A 15 μm thick hBN based MSM detector is expected to yield an efficiency of 21.4% if enriched hBN (with ∼100% 10B) is used instead of natural hBN. These results demonstrate that the fabrication of hBN thickness scalable highly efficient thermal neutron detectors is possible.
Source: Applied Physics Letters
DOI: 10.1063/1.4973927
Authors: K. Ahmed, R. Dahal, A. Weltz, James J.-Q. Lu, Y. Danon, I. B. Bhat
Institution: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Radiation
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Award: G2357021678
OpenAlex ID: W2531533449