Investigation of the recovery process in low-dose neutron-irradiated 6H-SiC by lattice parameter and FWHM of diffraction peak measurements

Abstract

Nitrogen-doped 6H-SiC single crystals irradiated with a low neutron fluence of 2.0 × 10²⁰ n/cm² (E > 0.1 MeV) at 200°C were investigated. To evaluate the crystalline defects induced by neutron irradiation and analyse their recovery behaviour, the specimens were isochronally annealed from room temperature to 1500°C. The lattice parameters and FWHM changes of (0006) plane diffraction peaks were recorded by X-ray diffraction. The XRD results exhibit that the FWHM was broadened and then narrowed linearly when isochronal annealed over 600°C. The lattice parameter recovery curves were analysed by the first-order model, and then the rate coefficient and activation energies at each annealing step were obtained. Based on the activation energies, the recovery process was divided into four stages and the recovery mechanism was discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• SiC
• neutron irradiation
• defects
• XRD
• annealing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Aeronautical Science Fund [grant number 201834Y2001], [grant number 2018ZD34001], Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin City [grant number 20YDTPJC01540] and Postgraduate Innovation Project of Tianjin [grant number 2020YJSS038] and [grant number 2021YJSO2S20]. The calculations were supported by the High-Performance Computing Center of Hebei University.

Notes on contributors

Shouchao Zhang

Shouchao Zhang, PhD, is an associate professor at Tianjin Chengjian University. The research interests of the author are irradiation effect of materials & artificial crystal materials.

Xiaohong Cui

Xiaohong Cui is a Master candidate at Tianjin Chengjian University. The research interest of this author includes crystal temperature sensing.

Hongfei Liu

Hongfei Liu received the PhD from Institute of Semiconductor, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China. Lecturer, Tianjin Chengjian University. The author’s research interest includes molecular dynamics simulation.

Yu Yang

Yu Yang is a Master candidate at Tianjin Chengjian University. The author’s research interest includes irradiation effect of materials.

Hongyu Chen

Hongyu Chen is a Master candidate at Tianjin Chengjian University. The author’s research interest includes crystal material modification.

Xin Li

Xin Li is a Master and an engineer. The author’s research interest includes aeronautical special sensing technology.

Defeng Liu

Defeng Liu is a Master and an engineer. The author’s research interest includes aeronautical special sensing technology.

Fei Zhu

Fei Zhu is a Master and an experimental engineer and the author’s research interest includes surface modification and damage of materials.