Uncooled Semiconductor Nuclear Radiation Detectors

非制冷半导体核辐射探测器

• 批准号: 1234338
• 负责人: Ashutosh Tiwari
• 金额: $ 31.76万
• 依托单位: University of Utah
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-09-01 至 2018-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1234338&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Uncooled; Semiconductor; Nuclear; Radiation; Detectors

The research objective of this award is to test the hypothesis that the electromagnetic field associated with the nuclear radiation incident on semiconductor channels will interact with the spin of the electrons via the Rashba spin-orbit interaction mechanism. The approach will be to design 4-terminal non-local spin-valve devices comprised of wide band-gap semiconductor channels over which four electrodes will be deposited. Inner two electrodes will be made out of a ferromagnetic metal while the outer two electrodes will be made out of a nonmagnetic metal. Geometry of the magnetic electrodes will be kept different deliberately in order to make their coercivities dissimilar so that their relative orientation (parallel or antiparallel) could be changed independently. These spin-valve sensors will be exposed to controlled radiation environments and non-local measurements of magneto-resistance and Hanle-effect will be performed. Experimental research will be supported by Monte Carlo simulation and theoretical modeling to understand the mechanism of radiation-spin interaction in semiconductors. If successful, this research will lead to room-temperature nuclear radiation detectors which will find applications in various civil, mechanical, manufacturing, medical imaging and security systems. The research outcomes will greatly reduce nuclear and radiological threats and benefit the society at large. The project will promote learning and education by involving K-12, undergraduate and graduate students in the inherently interdisciplinary cooperative research activities. The discoveries of this project will be presented at related technical conferences by the principal investigators and graduate students. Research results will be published in high impact peer-reviewed journals.

该奖项的研究目的是检验与入射到半导体通道上的核辐射相关的电磁场将通过拉什巴自旋-轨道相互作用机制与电子自旋相互作用的假设。该方法将设计由宽禁带半导体沟道组成的4端非局域自旋阀器件，在该沟道上将沉积四个电极。内部的两个电极将由铁磁性金属制成，而外部的两个电极将由非磁性金属制成。磁极的几何形状将故意保持不同，以使它们的矫顽力不同，从而使它们的相对取向(平行或反平行)可以独立改变。这些自旋阀传感器将暴露在受控的辐射环境中，并将进行磁阻和Hanle效应的非局部测量。实验研究将得到蒙特卡罗模拟和理论建模的支持，以了解半导体中辐射-自旋相互作用的机制。如果这项研究成功，这项研究将导致室温核辐射探测器，它将在各种民用、机械、制造、医学成像和安全系统中得到应用。研究成果将极大地减少核和辐射威胁，造福于整个社会。该项目将通过让K-12、本科生和研究生参与固有的跨学科合作研究活动来促进学习和教育。该项目的发现将由主要研究人员和研究生在相关的技术会议上介绍。研究成果将发表在高影响力的同行评议期刊上。