Using Bessel beams and two-photon absorption to predict radiation effects in microelectronics

Area of Science:

• Microelectronics
• Radiation Effects
• Optical Physics

Background:

• Pulsed-laser testing offers high spatial resolution and cost-effectiveness for studying space radiation effects in microelectronics.
• Quantitative prediction of radiation effects using optical methods remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a new pulsed-laser testing approach for quantitatively predicting space-based radiation effects in microelectronics.
• To emulate heavy ion radiation effects using a Bessel beam and two-photon absorption.

Main Methods:

• Modified a pulsed-laser setup to generate a specific carrier distribution using a Bessel beam and two-photon absorption.
• Characterized the carrier distribution with sub-micron spatial resolution.
• Developed an analytic expression to describe the carrier distribution and tune the laser to emulate specific heavy ions.

Main Results:

• Achieved a carrier distribution similar to that of heavy ion impacts.
• Demonstrated quantitative prediction of device response under simulated heavy ion conditions.
• Observed strong agreement between pulsed-laser test results and heavy ion test results for a silicon photodiode.

Conclusions:

• The novel pulsed-laser testing method enables accurate emulation of heavy ion radiation effects.
• This technique provides a cost-effective and spatially resolved alternative to accelerator-based testing for space radiation studies.
• The findings pave the way for improved reliability and testing of space-based microelectronics.