Similarities and distinctions of defect production by fast electron and proton irradiation: Moderately doped silicon and silicon carbide of n-type

Effects of irradiation with 0.9 MeV electrons as well as 8 and 15 MeV protons on moderately doped n-Si grown by the floating zone (FZ) technique and n-SiC (4H) grown by chemical vapor deposition are studied in a comparative way. It has been established that the dominant radiation-produced defects with involvement of V group impurities differ dramatically in electron- and proton-irradiated n-Si (FZ), in spite of the opinion on their similarity widespread in literature. This dissimilarity in defect structures is attributed to a marked difference in distributions of primary radiation defects for the both kinds of irradiation. In contrast, DLTS spectra taken on electron- and proton-irradiated n-SiC (4H) appear to be similar. However, there are very much pronounced differences in the formation rates of radiation-produced defects. Despite a larger production rate of Frenkel pairs in SiC as compared to that in Si, the removal rates of charge carriers in n-SiC (4H) were found to be considerably smaller than those in n-Si (FZ) for the both electron and proton irradiation. Comparison between defect production rates in the both materials under electron and proton irradiation is drawn.