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A method to carry out a priori simulations of pulsed-laser-induced single-event effects experiments is reported. Nonlinear optical simulations are conducted to model the 3-D distributions of charge from a laser pulse. These pulsed-laser-induced charge distributions are then incorporated into a charge transport solver to model the movement of charge as the device returns to a steady state. The output of the simulation infrastructure is a current transient from which collected charge and the temporal characteristics of the transient can be determined. This complete approach to modeling, which includes full device structure information, nonlinear optical energy deposition, and the subsequent movement of optically generated charge in a device and measurement circuit, allows for direct comparison between experimental and simulated current transients. A large-area silicon diode was used as the test vehicle, and good agreement was found between simulations and experiments in both total injected charge as well as temporal characteristics. Importantly, the a priori simulation approach does not require knowledge from prior heavy-ion testing, making it a predictive tool with broad versatility and minimal reliance on approximations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy-ion, focused X-ray, and pulsed laser single-event transient (SET) experiments are performed on a silicon epitaxial diode. Collected charge, transient rise times, and transient fall times are calculated and compared between different sources. The transient shape characteristics depend on the source (ion, X-ray, or laser), even when similar amounts of charge are generated. The observed differences are examined and explained in terms of basic charge collection mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulsed, laser-induced, single-event current measurements on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) FinFETs at subbandgap wavelength (1260 nm) are affected by the polarization of the laser light used in the experimental testing setup. Such polarization dependence is not observed during pulsed laser, single-event effects testing on large-area silicon diodes, suggesting that polarization dependence arises due to the presence of the nanoscale fin. Plasmonic enhancement is proposed as a likely mechanism for the polarization effects due to the metal/dielectric interfaces in the fin region. The observed polarization dependence has ramifications for collection and interpretation of data acquired by pulsed laser testing. Device orientation of FinFETs and other nanoscale devices during pulsed laser testing should be considered in order to ensure consistent testing conditions and reproducible measurement results across multiple measurement campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The single-event-transient response of InGaAs FinFETs with different fin widths is examined using pulsed-laser and heavy-ion irradiation. Devices with wider fins collect more charge in both environments. Quantum-well structures confine charge collection in the channel, and determine the sensitive volume. Simulations show that the charge density produced by irradiation is similar for devices with different fin widths, but more charge is collected by wider fin devices due to the larger channel volume. Charge accumulated in the buffer and substrate layers modulates the body potential, altering the degree of back-gate control, leading to additional effects associated with charge accumulation in wider fin devices. Optical simulations for a model system suggest that optical phenomena in the fins should be considered for laser testing. These include optical interference, plasmonic enhancement at the metal–dielectric interfaces, and enhanced electron–hole pair recombination due to multiple reflections in multigate devices with nanoscale dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]