Development of a radiation detector based on silicon carbide

Abstract

Five alpha particle detectors based on a 4H semi-insulating SiC substrate wafer were made for the fusion diagnostics of the burning plasma. About 50 nm thick aluminum films were made as the ohmic-contact type electrodes on the 380 μm thick substrate by an evaporation process. The characteristics of the detectors were examined by using a standard Am-241 alpha source. Each detector was irradiated with alpha particles and the electric charge induced in the detector was measured in the temperature range from room temperature up to 573 K. For all the detectors, the alpha particle detection signals were clearly observed with an oscilloscope at the bias-voltage higher than 500 volt. Two of the present detectors measured alpha particles with an energy resolution of about 25% at the temperature beyond 550 K and they are to be used for the measurement of escaping particles in plasma experiments.