Axial lifetime control in silicon power diodes by irradiation with protons, alphas, low- and high-energy electrons

Abstract Local lifetime control by proton and alpha-particle irradiation with energies from 1.8 to 12.1 MeV and doses up to 5×10 12  cm −2 was faced with two types of electron irradiation giving the different profiles of carrier lifetime: the high-energy (4 MeV) resulting in a homogeneous lifetime distribution and the low-energy (500 and 460 keV) providing so-called sloping lifetime control. Deep and shallow levels introduced by irradiation were characterised by DLTS, HVCTS and C – V profiling and their effect on static and dynamic parameters of irradiated diodes was measured and simulated. The advantages and drawbacks of different lifetime control techniques are compared and their application aspects are discussed, as well.