In-Situ Near Zero Field Magnetoresistance: A New Tool for Classifying Spin Dependent Defects Generated in Solid State Electronics During Particle Bombardment

Near Zero Field Magnetoresistance, NZFMR, is a new spin based technique with the potential to identify electrically active defects which affect semiconductor device performance. We are developing a new in-Situ approach which allows observation of defect generation within an ion beam chamber. We observe the NZFMR response of proton and carbon ion bombardment, on both SiC and GaN pin diodes. Preliminary results strongly suggest that 22.5 MeV carbon ions generate silicon vacancies. A strong NZFMR response on GaN devices is also observed. Due to as yet understood defects in GaN, we utilize a related technique, electrically detected magnetic resonance, EDMR, in conjunction with the NZFMR, to identify the generated defects. We believe that our observations strongly indicate that this new in-Situ NZFMR approach has the capability to identify defects which play dominating roles in device damage resulting from various types of particle bombardment and potentially to do this while the sample is within the accelerator during the bombardment sequence.

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