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GaN diodes comparative study for high energy protons detection

Matilde Siviero1, , Maxime Hugues1, Lucas Lesourd1, Eric Frayssinet1, Shirley Prado de la Cruz1, Sebastien Chenot1, Johan-Petter Hofverberg2, Marie Vidal2 and Jean-Yves Duboz1

+ Author Affiliations

 Corresponding author: Matilde Siviero, matilde.siviero@crhea.cnrs.fr

DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/25020014CSTR: 32376.14.1674-4926.25020014

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Abstract: GaN diodes for high energy (64.8 MeV) proton detection were fabricated and investigated. A comparison of the performance of GaN diodes with different structures is presented, with a focus on sapphire and on GaN substrates, Schottky and pin diodes, and different active layer thicknesses. Pin diodes fabricated on a sapphire substrate are the best choice for a GaN proton detector working at 0 V bias. They are sensitive (minimum detectable proton beam <1 pA/cm2), linear as a function of proton current and fast (<1 s). High proton current sensitivity and high spatial resolution of GaN diodes can be exploited in the future for proton imaging of patients in proton therapy.

Key words: gallium nitride, diodes, proton irradiation, proton detectors



[1]
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[2]
Mohan R. A review of proton therapy - Current status and future directions. Precis. Radiat. Oncol, 2022, 6(2), 164
[3]
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[4]
Arjomandy B, Sahoo N, Ding X N, et al. Use of a two‐dimensional ionization chamber array for proton therapy beam quality assurance. Med. Phys, 2008, 35(9), 3889
[5]
Taylor J T, Waltham C, Price T, et al. A new silicon tracker for proton imaging and dosimetry. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys Res Sect Accel Spectrometers Detect Assoc Equip, 2016, 831, 362 doi: 10.1016/j.nima.2016.02.013
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[8]
De Napoli M. SiC detectors: A review on the use of silicon carbide as radiation detection material. Front. Phys, 2022, 10, 898833
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[12]
Floriduz A and Devine J D. Modelling of proton irradiated GaN-based high-power white light-emitting diodes. Jpn J Appl Phys, 2018, 57, 080304 doi: 10.7567/JJAP.57.080304
[13]
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[14]
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[15]
Logan J V, Woller K B, Webster P T, et al. Open volume defect accumulation with irradiation in GaN, GaP, InAs, InP, Si, ZnO, and MgO. J Appl Phys, 2023, 134, 225701 doi: 10.1063/5.0147324
[16]
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[17]
Sandupatla A, Arulkumaran S, Ranjan K, et al. Low Voltage High-Energy α-Particle Detectors by GaN-on-GaN Schottky Diodes with Record-High Charge Collection Efficiency. Sensors, 2019, 19, 5107 doi: 10.3390/s19235107
[18]
Zhou C, Melton A G, Burgett E, et al. Neutron detection performance of gallium nitride based semiconductors. Sci Rep, 2019, 9, 17551 doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-53664-7
[19]
Duboz J-Y, Zucchi J, Frayssinet E, et al. GaN Schottky diodes for proton beam monitoring. Biomed Phys Eng Express, 2019, 5, 025015 doi: 10.1088/2057-1976/aaf9b4
[20]
Arjomandy B, Taylor P, Ainsley C, et al. AAPM task group 224: Comprehensive proton therapy machine quality assurance. Med Phys, 2019, 46
[21]
William Steward V and Koehler A M. Proton Radiography in the Diagnosis of Breast Carcinoma. Radiology, 1974, 110, 217 doi: 10.1148/110.1.217
[22]
Poludniowski G, Allinson N M and Evans P M. Proton radiography and tomography with application to proton therapy. Br J Radiol, 2015, 88, 20150134 doi: 10.1259/bjr.20150134
[23]
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[24]
Uwe Schneider and Eros Pedroni. Proton radiography as a tool for quality control in proton therapy. Med Phys, 1995, 22, 353-363 doi: 10.1118/1.597470
[25]
Duboz J-Y, Zucchi J, Frayssinet E, et al. Proton Energy Loss in GaN. Phys Status Solidi B, 2021, 258, 2100167 doi: 10.1002/pssb.202100167
[26]
Gian W, Skowronski M and Rohrer G S. Structural Defects and Their Relationship to Nucleation of Gan Thin Films. MRS Proc, 1996, 423(1), 475
[27]
Roder C, Einfeldt S, Figge S, et al. Stress and wafer bending of a-plane GaN layers on r-plane sapphire substrates. J Appl Phys, 2006, 100(10), 103511 doi: 10.1063/1.2386940
Fig. 1.  (Color online) (a) Response (log scale) - Voltage curves for Schottky diodes with a 10 µm active layer on GaN and on sapphire substrates with a proton beam current density of 132 pA/cm2. (b) Diode response (log scale) as a function of proton beam current density at 0 V. The log-log fit show a linearity close to 1. The insert shows the cross-section structure of the diodes.

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint
Fig. 2.  (Color online) (a) Current (log scale) - Voltage curves for Schottky and pin diode with a 10µm active layer on GaN substrate at 132 pA/cm2. (b) Diode response (log scale) as a function of proton beam current density at 0 V. The log-log fit show a linearity close to 1; the insert shows the diodes structure. (c) Time response (Current in log scale) graph for Schottky diode on GaN. The yellow section of the graph refers to the proton beam being ON with a proton current density of 132 pA/cm2, in the white part the beam is turned off. (d) same as c for a pin diode on GaN.

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint
Fig. 3.  (Color online) (a-d) Response (log scale)-voltage curves for Schottky diodes with 1,2,4,10 µm active layer (respectively figure a,b,c) on a sapphire substrate with proton beam current density of 132 pA/cm2. The black curve is the median value of the response. (e) Response at 0 V for Schottky diodes on sapphire in function of the thickness of the active layer. Simulation results (blue) are compared to the experimental ones (red), and to the linear increasing trend of the response that could be expected based on the high field region thickness in the dark (black).

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint
Fig. 4.  (Color online) (a) Response of a pin diode on sapphire with a 2µm active layer as a function of the proton beam current density. The linearity is close to one (0.9). The response values are compared with the noise level of 2.7 pA, measured with an integration time of 20 ms. In the insert is represented the structure of the sample. (b)Time response of the same diode at 0V. The yellow area indicates when the beam is on (with a current density of 132 pA/cm2).

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint
[1]
Wilson R R. Radiological use of fast protons. Radiology, 1946, 47(5), 487 doi: 10.1148/47.5.487
[2]
Mohan R. A review of proton therapy - Current status and future directions. Precis. Radiat. Oncol, 2022, 6(2), 164
[3]
Cirrone G A P, Cuttone G, Lojacono et al. A 62-MeV proton beam for the treatment of ocular melanoma at Laboratori Nazionali del Sud-INFN. IEEE Trans Nucl Sci, 2004, 51(3), 860-5 doi: 10.1109/TNS.2004.829535
[4]
Arjomandy B, Sahoo N, Ding X N, et al. Use of a two‐dimensional ionization chamber array for proton therapy beam quality assurance. Med. Phys, 2008, 35(9), 3889
[5]
Taylor J T, Waltham C, Price T, et al. A new silicon tracker for proton imaging and dosimetry. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys Res Sect Accel Spectrometers Detect Assoc Equip, 2016, 831, 362 doi: 10.1016/j.nima.2016.02.013
[6]
Esposito M, Waltham C, Taylor J T, et al. PRaVDA: The first solid-state system for proton computed tomography. Phys Med, 2018, 55, 149 doi: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2018.10.020
[7]
Russo S, Mirandola A, Molinelli S, et al. Characterization of a commercial scintillation detector for 2-D dosimetry in scanned proton and carbon ion beams. Phys Med, 2017, 34, 48-54 doi: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2017.01.011
[8]
De Napoli M. SiC detectors: A review on the use of silicon carbide as radiation detection material. Front. Phys, 2022, 10, 898833
[9]
Milluzzo G, De Napoli M, Di Martino F, et al. Comprehensive dosimetric characterization of novel silicon carbide detectors with UHDR electron beams for FLASH radiotherapy. Med Phys, 2024, 51, 6390 doi: 10.1002/mp.17172
[10]
Wyrsch N, Antognini L, Ballif C, et al. Amorphous silicon detectors for proton beam monitoring in FLASH radiotherapy. Radiat Meas, 2024, 177, 107230 doi: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2024.107230
[11]
Daniel S. Levin, Peter S. Friedman, Claudio Ferretti, et al. A prototype scintillator real-time beam monitor for ultra-high dose rate radiotherapy. Medycal Phys, 2024, 2905-23
[12]
Floriduz A and Devine J D. Modelling of proton irradiated GaN-based high-power white light-emitting diodes. Jpn J Appl Phys, 2018, 57, 080304 doi: 10.7567/JJAP.57.080304
[13]
Harper R S, Buttar C M, Allport P P, et al. Evolution of silicon microstrip detector currents during proton irradiation at the CERN PS. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res Sect Accel Spectrometers Detect Assoc Equip, 2002, 479(2/3), 548
[14]
Pearton S J, Deist R, Ren F, et al. Review of radiation damage in GaN-based materials and devices. J Vac Sci Technol Vac Surf Films, 2013, 31, 050801 doi: 10.1116/1.4799504
[15]
Logan J V, Woller K B, Webster P T, et al. Open volume defect accumulation with irradiation in GaN, GaP, InAs, InP, Si, ZnO, and MgO. J Appl Phys, 2023, 134, 225701 doi: 10.1063/5.0147324
[16]
Alaie Z, Mohammad Nejad S and Yousefi M H. Recent advances in ultraviolet photodetectors. Mater Sci Semicond Process, 2015, 29, 16-55 doi: 10.1016/j.mssp.2014.02.054
[17]
Sandupatla A, Arulkumaran S, Ranjan K, et al. Low Voltage High-Energy α-Particle Detectors by GaN-on-GaN Schottky Diodes with Record-High Charge Collection Efficiency. Sensors, 2019, 19, 5107 doi: 10.3390/s19235107
[18]
Zhou C, Melton A G, Burgett E, et al. Neutron detection performance of gallium nitride based semiconductors. Sci Rep, 2019, 9, 17551 doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-53664-7
[19]
Duboz J-Y, Zucchi J, Frayssinet E, et al. GaN Schottky diodes for proton beam monitoring. Biomed Phys Eng Express, 2019, 5, 025015 doi: 10.1088/2057-1976/aaf9b4
[20]
Arjomandy B, Taylor P, Ainsley C, et al. AAPM task group 224: Comprehensive proton therapy machine quality assurance. Med Phys, 2019, 46
[21]
William Steward V and Koehler A M. Proton Radiography in the Diagnosis of Breast Carcinoma. Radiology, 1974, 110, 217 doi: 10.1148/110.1.217
[22]
Poludniowski G, Allinson N M and Evans P M. Proton radiography and tomography with application to proton therapy. Br J Radiol, 2015, 88, 20150134 doi: 10.1259/bjr.20150134
[23]
Lane S A, Slater J M and Yang G Y. Image-Guided Proton Therapy: A Comprehensive Review. Cancers, 2023, 15, 2555 doi: 10.3390/cancers15092555
[24]
Uwe Schneider and Eros Pedroni. Proton radiography as a tool for quality control in proton therapy. Med Phys, 1995, 22, 353-363 doi: 10.1118/1.597470
[25]
Duboz J-Y, Zucchi J, Frayssinet E, et al. Proton Energy Loss in GaN. Phys Status Solidi B, 2021, 258, 2100167 doi: 10.1002/pssb.202100167
[26]
Gian W, Skowronski M and Rohrer G S. Structural Defects and Their Relationship to Nucleation of Gan Thin Films. MRS Proc, 1996, 423(1), 475
[27]
Roder C, Einfeldt S, Figge S, et al. Stress and wafer bending of a-plane GaN layers on r-plane sapphire substrates. J Appl Phys, 2006, 100(10), 103511 doi: 10.1063/1.2386940

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    History

    Received: 11 February 2025 Revised: 21 March 2025 Online: Accepted Manuscript: 18 April 2025

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      Article Navigation >  Journal of Semiconductors  > 2025  > Accepted Manuscript
      Matilde Siviero, Maxime Hugues, Lucas Lesourd, Eric Frayssinet, Shirley Prado de la Cruz, Sebastien Chenot, Johan-Petter Hofverberg, Marie Vidal, Jean-Yves Duboz. GaN diodes comparative study for high energy protons detection[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2025, In Press. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/25020014 ****M Siviero, M Hugues, L Lesourd, E Frayssinet, S P D L Cruz, S Chenot, J P Hofverberg, M Vidal, and J Y Duboz, GaN diodes comparative study for high energy protons detection[J]. J. Semicond., 2025, accepted doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/25020014
      Citation:
      Matilde Siviero, Maxime Hugues, Lucas Lesourd, Eric Frayssinet, Shirley Prado de la Cruz, Sebastien Chenot, Johan-Petter Hofverberg, Marie Vidal, Jean-Yves Duboz. GaN diodes comparative study for high energy protons detection[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2025, In Press. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/25020014 ****
      M Siviero, M Hugues, L Lesourd, E Frayssinet, S P D L Cruz, S Chenot, J P Hofverberg, M Vidal, and J Y Duboz, GaN diodes comparative study for high energy protons detection[J]. J. Semicond., 2025, accepted doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/25020014
      shu

      GaN diodes comparative study for high energy protons detection

      DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/25020014
      CSTR: 32376.14.1674-4926.25020014
      • 1.

        Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, CRHEA, 06560, Valbonne, France

      • 2.

        Université Côte d’Azur, Fédération Claude Lalanne; Cyclotron Biomédical, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, Nice, France

      More Information
      • Matilde Siviero received her bachelor degree in Physics at University of Padova (Italy) in 2020 and her master’s degree in Materials Science in 2022 at the same University. At the moment, she is a doctoral student for Université Côte d’Azur (France) at CRHEA-CNRS under the supervision of Prof. Jean-Yves Duboz and Andreas Wieck, in a joint PhD with University of Bochum (Germany). Her research focuses on GaN-based devices fabrication and device characterization
      • Maxime Hugues received the Ph.D. degree in Physics from Nice-Sophia Antipolis University (France) in 2007. He worked on dilute nitride and quantum dots for long-wavelength lasers at CRHEA-CNRS. In 2007 he joined the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Sheffield (U.K.) where he was involved in the III-V nanostructures growth by molecular beam epitaxy. Since 2013 he is a CNRS permanent researcher at CRHEA where he took the responsibility of the SEMI team in 2023, developing electronic devices and MEMS. He is the author/coauthor of more than 110 publications and gave over 40 oral presentations at international conferences
      • Eric Frayssinet obtained his doctoral degree in physics of condensed matter in 2000 at the University of Sciences and Techniques of Languedoc (Montpellier). He is currently a Research Engineer at CNRS-CRHEA. His main research topic concerns the epitaxy of element III nitrides on various substrates (sapphire, silicon, GaN, SiC...)
      • Shirley Prado de la Cruz was born in Lima, Peru in 1993. She received her bachelor’s degree in Physics from University of Toulouse – Paul Sabatier, France in 2018 and her master’s degree in Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies from University Paris-Saclay, France in 2020. During her studies she worked on InP devices for telecommunication. She has also worked on GaN nanowires for flexible LEDs and GaN devices for protontherapy. She is currently a doctoral student at Telecom Paris working on Photonic Integrated Circuits on InP for 5G access network
      • Sebastien Chenot graduated with a DESS TAP (Techniqus et Applications de la Physique) from the University of Grenoble Alpes in 2001. He has been responsible for the clean room at CRHEA (Centre de Recherche sur l'Hétéroépitaxie et ses Applications) since 2004. He develops technological processes for various CREHA research projects
      • Jean-Yves Duboz is a specialized in electronic and optical properties of semiconductors and related heterostructures, in particular III-V semiconductors. His field of expertise also includes the physics of devices, in particular optoelectronic devices. He studied intersubband transitions in GaAs based materials and developed QWIP detectors. He studied diluted nitrides and quantum dot structures. Then he developed UV detectors based on AlGaN. He developed GaN based lasers and nanophotonic devices. He owns 10 patents and more than 150 publications
      • Corresponding author: matilde.siviero@crhea.cnrs.fr
      • Received Date: 2025-02-11
      • Revised Date: 2025-03-21
        • Available Online: 2025-04-18

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