Engineered 3D Material Matrices with Embedded Semiconductor Micro/Nano-pillars for Radiation Sensing

具有嵌入式半导体微/纳米柱的工程 3D 材料矩阵，用于辐射传感

• 批准号: 1235592
• 负责人: M Saif Islam
• 金额: $ 22.5万
• 依托单位: University of California-Davis
• 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 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1235592&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Engineered; 3D; Material; Matrices; Embedded

The research objective of this award is to study the radiation sensing mechanism enabled by functional material matrices that combine highly efficient electron-hole pair collecting materials with radiation sensitive materials. The approach is based on the fabrication of semiconductor junction photodetectors in the shape of vertically oriented pillars that will be embedded in functional radiation sensitive materials such as enriched boron. The relation between the detection efficiency and device parameters such as pillar dimensions, inter-pillar distances, surface planarity and low resistance contacts for optimum charge transfer at the interface of the pillars and the radiation sensing materials will be established. The strain present in the material matrices under different growth conditions will be studied to minimize the interface stresses. The study will also include advanced surface passivation techniques such as hydrothermal growth of enriched boron compounds around the pillar detectors to simultaneously act as passivation coatings as well as neutron sensitive materials.The outcome of this research, if successful, will lead to highly efficient, lightweight, low-cost and large area solid-state radiation sensors. Such devices will offer alternatives to helium isotopes that are currently being used in conventional neutron detectors and are facing a looming supply shortage, in addition to the disadvantages such as susceptibility to microphonics, high operational voltage, high pressure and poor fieldability due to large footprint. Through the applications of manufacturing processes used by the semiconductor industry, the research offers the potential to enable a new class of advanced radiation sensing systems that can be integrated with high-speed read-out electronics for applications in particle physics, homeland security, non-proliferation, neutron radiography and material characterization. Educational and outreach programs based on this research will broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in science and technology and train future multidisciplinary scientists and engineers through an active collaboration with the National Laboratories.

该奖项的研究目标是研究由功能材料矩阵启用的辐射感应机制，这些矩阵将高效的电子孔对收集材料与辐射敏感材料结合在一起。该方法基于垂直定向支柱形状的半导体连接光探测器的制造，该光电镜的形状将嵌入功能辐射敏感的材料（例如富集的硼）中。检测效率和设备参数之间的关系，例如支柱尺寸，柱间距离，表面平面和低电阻触点，以在支柱的界面和辐射传感材料的界面处的最佳电荷传递。将研究在不同生长条件下存在的材料基质中的应变，以最大程度地减少界面应力。该研究还将包括先进的表面钝化技术，例如柱子探测器周围富集的硼水的水热生长，以同时充当钝化涂层以及中子敏感的材料。如果成功的话，这项研究的结果将导致高效，轻巧，低成本，低成本和大型固体辐射传感器。此类设备将提供当前在常规中子探测器中使用的氦同位素的替代方案，并且还面临着迫在眉睫的供应短缺，除了诸如麦克风易感性，高操作电压，高压和较差的野外能力​​之外，由于大量占地面积。通过半导体行业使用的制造工艺的应用，该研究提供了一种潜力，可以使一类新的高级辐射传感系统可以与高速读出的电子设备集成，以用于粒子物理，国土安全性，不扩散，中子放射学和材料表征。基于这项研究的教育和外展计划将扩大代表性不足的科学和技术的参与，并通过与国家实验室的积极合作来培训未来的多学科科学家和工程师。