SEDL / STP / STP1447-EB / STP11262S

Revisiting the Use of SiC as a Post Irradiation Temperature Monitor

Snead, LL
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN

Williams, AM
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN

Qualls, AL
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN

Pages: 11    Published: Jan 2004

Download this paper for $25 PDF (192K)          View License Agreement
Abstract

Silicon carbide has been used as a post-irradiation temperature monitor since first proposed for this use in 1961. The basic technique has been the repeated measurement of the length of a SiC monitor following isochronal annealing. This technique has been shown to overestimate irradiation temperature by ∼100°C. This paper discusses the use of alternate techniques, including electrical resistivity, to infer irradiation temperature. It is shown that electrical resistivity predicts irradiation temperature within ∼20°C of actual irradiation temperature. Additionally, this technique can be used in the low-temperature (<150°C) amorphization regime, and in irradiation temperatures where irradiation damage is characterized by simple defects in crystalline SiC (<900°C).