Electrically active defects induced by $\alpha$-particle irradiation in p-type Si surface barrier detector

Herein, the investigation of radiation-induced defects generated in the Al/SiO${}_2$/p-type FZ Si surface barrier detector upon irradiation with $\alpha$-particles at room temperature using capacitance-voltage (C-V) and current deep-level transient spectroscopy (IDLTS) methods is conducted. The carried out C-V measurements indicate the formation of at least 8 × 10${}^{12}$ cm${}^{-3}$ radiation-induced acceptor traps at the depth fairly close to that where, according to TRIM simulations, the highest concentration of vacancy-interstitial pairs is created by the incoming $\alpha$-particles. The studies conducted by the current DLTS technique allow to relate the observed increase in the acceptor concentration with the near-midgap level at E${}_V$ + 0.56 eV. This level can apparently be associated with V${}_2$O defects recognized previously to be responsible for the space-charge sign inversion in the irradiated n-type Si detectors. (© 2021 Wiley‐VCH GmbH)