FABRICATING RADIATION-DETECTING STRUCTURES

Solid state radiation detectors, such as neutron detectors and gamma ray detectors, have been proposed as alternatives to gas-tube based detectors. Radiation-detecting hetero-structures may be formed by using physical etching processes, such as reactive ion etching (RIE) to form trenches in a semiconductor substrate, followed by using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to deposit radiation-detecting material within the formed trenches.

NEUTRON-DETECTING APPARATUSES AND METHODS OF FABRICATION

This technology relates to neutron-detecting structures and methods of fabrication. Efficient solid-state neutron-detectors with large detecting surfaces and low gamma sensitivity are desired for detecting and preventing proliferation of special nuclear materials (SNMs). Unfortunately, available neutron-detectors are limited, for instance, by size, weight, high bias voltage requirements, andor cost due, for instance, to limited supply of enriched helium (3He) gas, which is currently employed in most neutron-detectors.

SELECTIVE, ELECTROCHEMICAL ETCHING OF A SEMICONDUCTOR

Advances in the semiconductor industry continue to be desired to address demand for semiconductor devices capable of high performance and low power consumption in a wide variety of applications. In one or more applications, enhanced high-voltage semiconductor devices such as, enhanced Schottky diodes, p-i-n diodes, insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBT), bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), etc., may be desired for, for instance, high-speed power switching applications.