Neutron irradiation effects on visible-blind Au/GaN Schottky barrier detectors grown on Si(111)

Neutron irradiation effects on the Au/sputtered–GaN Schottky barrier photodetectors grown on Si(111) were investigated. Evidence showed that the optimal fluence (1×1013 n/cm2) of neutron irradiation could not only promote the crystallinity of GaN films, but also effectively repress the occurrence of nitrogen–vacancy-related Et1 traps. We suggested that these two reasons are the main contributing factors to the superior rectifying current–voltage characteristics as well as the enhanced spectral response of Au/sputtered–GaN Schottky detectors.