Evaluation of the Response of Silicon Diode Dosimeters to Fast Neutrons

摘要

Conductivity-modulated, silicon p-n junctions of two base widths (10- and 50-mil) were exposed to a burst of fast neutrons. High-level lifetime, reverse-recovery lifetime, and forward voltage at four constant current levels were correlated with fast neutron kerma as measured by threshold detectors. This correlation showed that the sensitivity of the diodes varied with respect to kerma. The curves of high-level lifetime versus kerma and reverse-recovery lifetime versus kerma have two changes in slope, at 100000 ergs/g and at 1000000 ergs/g. The 10-mil diodes exhibited excellent reproducibility for both lifetime measurements; however, only 55 percent of the forward-voltage measurements were within plus or minus 10 percent of the average. The lifetime measurements of the 50-mil diodes were very poor (only 31 percent of the data was within plus or minus 10 percent) while the forward-voltage measurements were better (84 percent of the data was within plus or minus 10 percent). (Author)