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4H-SiC PIN Diodes as Environment to Modify 7Be Radioactive Decay Time.

Virginia Boldrini1, Luigi Di Benedetto2, Vincenzo Carrano2

  • 1Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Piero Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 15, 2026
PubMed
Summary

This study demonstrates that 4H-Silicon Carbide (SiC) PIN diodes can generate strong electric fields to alter the radioactive decay time of Beryllium-7 (⁷Be) atoms via the Stark effect. The diodes proved stable and suitable for precise decay measurements.

Keywords:
4H-SiCBe ion implantationPIN diodescapacitancereverse bias

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Area of Science:

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Nuclear Physics
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Investigating nuclear decay properties under extreme conditions is crucial for fundamental physics.
  • The Stark effect, influenced by electric fields, can potentially modify nuclear decay rates.
  • Silicon Carbide (SiC) offers robust semiconductor properties suitable for high-voltage applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the feasibility of using 4H-Silicon Carbide (SiC) PIN diodes to induce the Stark effect in Beryllium-7 (⁷Be) atoms.
  • To investigate the modification of ⁷Be radioactive decay time by high electric fields within the diode's space charge region.
  • To assess the suitability and stability of 4H-SiC PIN diodes for precise measurements of ⁷Be lifetime variations.

Main Methods:

  • Designed and fabricated 4H-SiC PIN diodes with areas ranging from 2.12 × 10⁻³ cm² to 9.88 × 10⁻³ cm² and breakdown voltages up to 1000 V.
  • Implanted Beryllium (Be) ions into the epitaxial layer and applied reverse bias (≈75% breakdown voltage) for over 100 days.
  • Conducted electrical characterization before and after implantation and prolonged biasing, alongside device simulations.

Main Results:

  • Be ion implantation caused increased reverse current and decreased junction capacitance, but did not impact breakdown voltage.
  • Electrical characteristics remained stable during long-term reverse biasing, validating the electric field's consistency.
  • Simulations confirmed the electric field's stability, indicating negligible impact from ⁷Be decay-induced defects.

Conclusions:

  • 4H-SiC PIN diodes are suitable for generating the high electric fields required to induce the Stark effect in implanted ⁷Be atoms.
  • The experimental setup allows for precise measurement of ⁷Be radioactive decay time variations.
  • The study confirms the potential of semiconductor devices for probing fundamental nuclear decay processes.