Silicon doping by nuclear transmutation

This paper describes, from the view of nuclear physics and radiochemistry, the mode of operation in doping semiconductor silicon with phosphorus by neutron irradiation. In addition to precise control of the irradiation fluence, this includes control of neutron-flux distribution, self-shielding and radioactive products from the silicon matrix and the surface impurities. The accuracy of the resistivity values achieved by this method is better than ± 5% at the predicated value. The good homogeneity of the dopant distribution is shown by the results of location-resolving resistivity measurements as well as by the breakdown radiation emitted by diodes. Neutron-bombarded homogeneously doped silicon (NBH-silicon) is used for routine manufacture of multi-diode vidicons and power devices.