【Device Papers】Benchmarking β-Ga₂O₃ Schottky barrier diodes for space applications: Material stability and device robustness under γ-rays

      Researchers from the IIT Delhi have published a dissertation titled "Benchmarking β-Ga₂O₃ Schottky barrier diodes for space applications: Material stability and device robustness under γ-rays" in Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics.

Abstract

      In the pursuit of advanced space technologies, wide and ultrawide bandgap semiconductors are benchmarked by their ability to withstand high radiation environments. This work examines the detailed material and device characteristics of β-Ga₂O₃-based Schottky barrier diodes exposed to high-intensity ⁶⁰Co γ-ray irradiation, with cumulative doses up to 200 kGy. The Schottky barrier diodes exhibit remarkable performance and stability for different diode sizes over the high γ-ray doses, maintaining ideality factor close to unity and Schottky barrier height (SBH) around 1.10 eV. The ideality factor increases to 1.11 from 1.03 when it is irradiated with 200 kGy, while the SBH decreases from 1.10 eV to 1.07 eV. Comprehensive material characterizations on the HVPE-grown pristine as well as irradiated β-Ga₂O₃ epilayers reveal the dose-dependent variations in surface morphology, lattice strain, and optical absorption. Importantly, the small values of carrier removal rates (0.03 cm^-1), even upon such high doses, establish the resilience of β-Ga₂O₃-Pt-Au diodes towards the extreme conditions. This detailed study on the γ-ray tolerance of the β-Ga₂O₃ material, combined with its device performance up to 200 kGy, reinforces its potential for next-generation space exploration technologies.

DOI：

https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/ae233b