Radiation Response Of A Radiation-Hardened Si Photodiode Incorporating A Sinker Diffusion

A commercially available, epitaxially-grown, Si photodiode was irradiated with 18 MeV electrons, 1-10 MeV x-rays, and neutrons from a pulsed reactor. The device structure is given, the radiation-hardened design features are discussed and their inherent limitations are identified. The ionizing radiation sensitivity and neutron-induced, permanent damage to quantum efficiency and leakage current have been measured. Empirical fits to the data are presented to aid optoelectronic sub-system designers in predicting device performance in various radiation environments.