Annealing of neutron-irradiated silicon n-channel junction field-effect transistors

Annealing behavior of neutron-produced defects in n-type silicon was studied in the temperature range 60 - 3900C by measuring the phase angle theta of the small-signal transconductance of n-channel junction field-effect transistors (JFET's). Three deep levels introducted by irradiation annealed gradually and the annealing of these levels extended over a broad temperature range. The formation of two new levels during annealing was observed, and their energy levels and electron capture cross sections were determined. From the comparison of n- and p-type silicon, it was found that defect clusters annealed with the recovery of defects introduced by irradiation and that the formation of defects during annealing occurred near 3000C in both n- and p-type silicon. It was considered that vacancies liberated from defect clusters during annealing played an important role in the formation of defects. Comparing with other published data, it seemed that defects formed during annealing corresponded to the high-order vacancy defects associated with oxygen. (author)