Three-dimensional mapping of single-event effects using two photon absorption

Abstract

Carrier generation based on sub-bandgap two-photon absorption is used to perform three-dimensional mapping of the single-event transient response of the LM124 operational amplifier. Three classes of single-event-induced transients are observed for the input transistor Q20. A combination of experiment and transistor level modeling is used to assign the different classes of measured transients to charge collection across specific junctions. The largeamplitude, positive-going transients can not be assigned to a single junction, and are identified with a collector-substrate photocurrent. I. INTRODUCTION The picosecond laser has become an important tool for the investigation and understanding of single-event effects (SEEs) in microelectronic circuitry. The most common implementation of the pulsed laser technique is based upon the excitation of carriers in a semiconductor material using tightly focused, above-bandgap optical excitation [1]-[8]. Carrier generation is governed primarily by Beer's law absorption and, for a given material, the optical penetration depth is determined by the wavelength of the laser pulse. In recent years the pulsed laser has been used successfully in a range of investigations of SEE phenomena, including interrogation of the spatial and temporal aspects of singleevent upset (SEU) and single-event latch up (SEL) in a variety of digital circuits [1]-[3], investigation of the basic charge-collection mechanisms of individual transistors [4], and most recently as an essential tool for unraveling the complex SEE response of bipolar linear circuits [5]-[9]. Recently, a new method of laser-induced carrier generation for SEE applications based upon two-photon absorption using femtosecond (TPA) high peak power pulses sub-bandgap optical wavelengths was introduced at and demonstrated [10]. In two-photon absorption, the laser wavelength is chosen to be less than the bandgap of the semiconductor material such that no carriers are generated Manuscript received

Comparison of a 65 nm CMOS Ring- and LC-Oscillator Based PLL in Terms of TID and SEU Sensitivity

“…To gain more in-depth knowledge about the sensitive blocks of the PLL, laser tests have been done with a Two-Photon Absorption (TPA) laser [22]. This technique allows to inject charges in the chip at specific points with micrometer resolution.…”

A 2.56-GHz SEU Radiation Hard $LC$ -Tank VCO for High-Speed Communication Links in 65-nm CMOS Technology

“…A two photon laser experiment was performed to verify the heavy ion SEU tests [24]. In this laser test, the active area of the VCO was scanned with a step size of 0.2 µm.…”

Modification of the LM124 Single Event Transients by Load Resistors

“…10. Probably, the reason of this failure is that a unique current source cannot modelate a multi-junction charge collection process [24].…”