The GaN-based heterostructures and related HEMTs (High Electron Mobility Transistors) were investigated by 1MeV neutrons at fluences up to 10¹⁵ cm⁻², yielding an increase of the densities of screw dislocations and edge dislocations for GaN-based heterostructures. It gave the result that neutron irradiation-induced structural defects into GaN-based materials, and the irradiation-induced dislocations would propagate to the material surface causing surface morphology deterioration. However, the GaN-based material strain was robust to neutrons, and the more initial dislocations, the easier to generate irradiation defects and thus, more strongly affecting the electrical property degradations of materials and devices. Meanwhile, the reduction of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) concentration (n_s) caused by irradiation-induced defects led to the reducing the drain current. Moreover, the significant degradation of the reverse gate leakage current at fluences ranging from 10¹⁴ to 10¹⁵ cm⁻² could be attributed to the irradiation-induced deep defects. The neutron induced damage was more difficult to anneal recovery than other particles, due to the neutron irradiation-induced deep levels and defect complexes such as defect clusters.

In this paper, we integrate nano technology into traditional microelectronic processing, and develop an on-chip UV sensor based on lateral growth ZnO nanowire arrays. Traditional procedures are used to fabricate the interdigital electrodes, and ZnO nanowires are self-organized and grown between electrodes laterally by hydrothermal method. Additional inclined nanowires are removed during the post-processing procedures, such as ultrasound cleansing and electrode reinforcement. Two kinds of electrode structures are applied, i.e., Cr and Au. For the Cr electrode device structure, because Cr will restrain nanowires from growing vertically on its top, the laterally grown nanowire is long enough to reach the other side of the electrode. The corresponding photoelectric response mechanism is photoconduction controlled by surface oxide ion adsorption. Although the photocurrent is large, the gain is low, and the response speed is slow. Under the UV radiations of 20 mW/cm2 and of 365 nm in wavelength, the dark current is 2.210-4 A with 1 V bias voltage, the gain is up to 64, the photocurrent cannot reach saturation after 25 s, and the recovery time is 51.9 s. A secondary electrode can be fabricated after growing the nanowire arrays to reinforce the connection between the electrode and the ends of the nanowires. However, the direct contact between metal and semiconductor will form a Schottky contact. The photoelectric response mechanism is then changed to photovoltaic effect, which can greatly improve the gain and response speed. Under UV radiations of 20 mW/cm2 and of 365 nm in wavelength, the dark current is 4.310-8 A with 1 V bias voltage, the gain is up to 1300, the respond time is 3.8 s, and the recovery time is 5.7 s. For the Au electrode device structure, because Au is catalysis for ZnO nanowire growth, nanowires grown in lateral direction will compete with those grown in vertical direction, and hence the laterally grown nanowires are not long enough to reach the other side of the electrode. Nanowires grown from two sides of the electrodes will meet each other and form a bridging junction, however, this will turn the photoconduction mechanism from surface ion controlled into a bridging junction controlled, which yields the best device performance. Before removing the inclined nanowires by ultrasound cleansing, under UV radiations of 20 mW/cm2 and of 365 nm in wavelength, the dark current is 8.310-3 A with 1 V bias voltage, the gain is up to 1350, the respond time is 3.3 s, and the recovery time is 3.4 s. After removing the inclined nanowires, under UV radiations of 20 mW/cm2 and of 365 nm in wavelength, the dark current is 10-9 A with 1 V bias voltage, the gain is up to 8105, the respond time is 1.1 s, and the recovery time is 1.3 s.