Electron and neutron damage in n- and p-channel junction field effect transistors

Abstract The electrical properties of Si n− and p−channel junction field effect transistors (JFET's) were measured after irradiation with fast neutrons and 1 MeV electrons, before and after annealing up to 675 K. A pulse technique was used to measure the energy levels of the radiation defects. It was found that one of the defects in the n−channel JFET's had an energy level at approximately EC −0.4 eV and, in the case of electron damage, annealed sharply at about 425 K. These properties suggest that the defect is the Si‐E centre. The energy level of the major source of damage in the p−channel JFET's could not be measured by the techniques used but the annealing temperature of 600–675 K agreed with that of the Si‐K centre. Considerable recovery in properties of the neutron damaged p−channel devices can be achieved by forward biasing the gate at room temperature.