| Abstract Scope |
Studying device-type material responses to high-energy heavy ion irradiation is essential for understanding cosmic ray effects on microelectronics in space applications. To test the response of wide bandgap semiconductors to swift heavy ions, irradiation experiments were performed on GaN/AlN materials using 946 MeV Au ions at the GSI Helmholtz Center. In-situ analysis techniques, including ion beam-induced luminescence (IBIL) and Rutherford backscattering in channeling configuration (RBS/C), were performed at the Centro de Micro-Análisis de Materiales using 3.5 MeV He ions. IBIL results revealed a decrease in the radiative emission yields with increasing He and Au irradiation, with AlN being more resistant than GaN. Certain emission bands displayed more noticeable quenching compared to the others, and while under He irradiation, the overall yield dropped rapidly before leveling off, suggesting a saturation point in damage production. RBS/C results suggested that AlN or nitrides with low compositional disorder are more resistant to radiation damage. |