Effects of annealing on irradiated sic piezoresistive pressure sensor

The effects of temperature on the annealing of a silicon carbide (SiC) piezoresistive pressure sensor exposed to high-fluence neutron irradiation were investigated. The, SiC piezoresistive sensor was irradiated with gamma rays with the Co-60 gamma-ray irradiator, and fast neutrons at Beam Port 1 (BP1) and at the Auxiliary Irradiation Facility (AIF) of Ohio State University's Nuclear Reactor Laboratory (OSUNRL). Annealing temperatures up to 400 A degrees C were applied to the pressure sensor. The pressure-output voltage results showed recovery after the SiC piezoresistive pressure sensor had been annealed. The bridge resistances of the SiC pressure sensor stayed at the same level for annealing temperatures up to 300 A degrees C. After annealing at 400 A degrees C, the resistance values of the sensor changed dramatically.