The heterocontact of two intrinsic semiconductors and radiation-stable electronics

Abstract Radiation security is one of the main present day problems. Semiconductor devices used nowadays have a very poor radiation stability. Semiconductors of the In 2 Te 3 type attract attention by some unique physical properties. For instance: (1) their physical parameters are not changed under an ionizing radiation of extremely high doses; (2) the concentration of charge carriers is almost independent of the impurity concentration; and (3) the electrical resistance of these materials always remains intrinsic. The properties mentioned are defined by a basic feature of their crystal structure, namely that one-third of cation sites in a lattice of the zinc-blend type is vacant. The present paper is the first theoretical analysis of new electronic elements based on the heterocontact of two intrinsic semiconductors. Likely the radiation stable electronics suggested will become the base of measurement technique for atomic reactors.