Non-monotonic temperature dependence of radiation defect dynamics in silicon carbide.
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abstract
Understanding response of solids to particle irradiation remains a major materials physics challenge. This applies even to SiC, which is a prototypical nuclear ceramic and wide-band-gap semiconductor material. The lack of predictability is largely related to the complex, dynamic nature of radiation defect formation. Here, we use a novel pulsed-ion-beam method to study dynamic annealing in 4H-SiC ion-bombarded in the temperature range of 25-250C. We find that, while the defect recombination efficiency shows an expected monotonic increase with increasing temperature, the defect lifetime exhibits a non-monotonic temperature dependence with a maximum at ~100C. This finding indicates a change in the dominant defect interaction mechanism at ~100C. The understanding of radiation defect dynamics may suggest new paths to designing radiation-resistant materials.