Correlation of Laser- and Ion-Induced Effects on Emerging Technologies
Abstract
Random mobile charge liberated by interactions between a single energetic ion (for example a single proton) and the atoms within an electronic device can cause dramatic effects at the system level, known as a soft error. For example, the Australian Transportation Safety Board is investigating soft error effects in the air data inertial reference unit on a Qantas Airbus A330 that may of caused a sudden and unexpected change in course, injuring several passengers and crew members . More specifically, a soft-error is defined as a change in the state of an electronic circuit that is a result of a single ionizing radiation event. (Ionization of a target material occurs when the incident particle loses energy via interactions with the target electrons.) This state change can be self- recoverable or stable until the circuit is reset. The figure below provides two images, each is a compilation of images taken by three instruments on the Solar & Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft . SOHO is a prolific source for science data about the sun and it’s impact on space weather. One of those environments is the ionizing particle environment. The distortion in image B is due to an ensemble of ionizing particle events passing through the imagers. As the particles pass through a pixel it “lights up” the pixel. The long tracks are particularly interesting. These are obviously due to a single particle that deposited a significant trail of energy as it pass through several pixels. This is a soft-error (transient) event occurring in the imager. Each pixel is sensitive to the energy deposited by the ion (in this case these ions are protons produced by a coronal mass ejection ). Photon-based techniques are attractive for both emulation and characterization of ion-induced single event effects. Lasers can be used to generate charge locally in semiconductor materials, and are more accessible and controllable, and less expensive than ion beams. Advancing the understanding of the relationship between laser experiments and ion experiments for emerging electronic technologies requires additional consideration of model development for the interaction of laser beams with complex material systems, increased measurement resolution, and appropriate laser wavelengths. The objective of this work is to understand the charge generation and collection by pulsed-laser irradiation in advanced electronic devices with sufficient clarity that advanced device response is predictable from first principles physics and design information. Research is needed to develop new simulation approach and improved characterization techniques to enable correlation of laser- and ion-induced effects on emerging semiconductor devices and technologies. Specifically, temporal and spatial distributions of charge produced by ions differ from lasers, and the lack of quantitative models for laser-induced effects constrains the usefulness and expansion to more complex material systems. On the device response measurement side, characterization is constrained by the low characteristic charges and extremely fast response times of advanced technologies, along with parasitic effects in electrical measurements. Research is needed to develop a measurement technology that is fundamentally faster than the one being characterized. ATSB TRANSPORT SAFETY REPORT, Aviation Occurrence Investigation AO-2008-070, Interim Factual No 2, “In-flight upset, VH-QPA, Airbus A330-303, 154 km west of Learmonth, Western Australia, 7 October 2008,” ISBN 978-1-74251-004-0 http://www.nasa.gov/mpg/61466main_eitlasco_fall2003_320x240.mpg Tousey, R., The Solar Corona, in Space Research XIII, edited by M.J. Rycroft and S.K. Runcorn, p 713, Akademie-Verlag, Berlin, 1973.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 26, 2016
- Source ID
- HDTRA11610007
Entities
People
- Robert Reed
Organizations
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
- Vanderbilt University