Proton-induced transient effects in a metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetector for optical-based data transfer

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1998 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/23.736537· OSTI ID:323964

Marshall, C J ^[1]; Marshall, P W; Carts, M A ^[2]; Reed, R A; LaBel, K A ^[1]

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1. NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD (United States)
2. NRL, Washington, DC (United States)

The authors present a study of proton transient effects in metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors, which demonstrates their inherent advantage for minimizing Single Event Effects (SEEs) in proton environments. Upset mechanisms are characterized for 830 nm GaAs and 1300 nm InGaAs detectors. Only protons incident at grazing angles are likely to cause a bit errors by direct ionization. The MSM technology appears to be a more robust to single bit errors than thicker 1300 nm p-i-n diode structures which the authors have previously shown to be susceptible to errors from direct ionization events at all angles, and also are relatively high optical powders. For a given receiver, the relative contributions of direct ionization and nuclear reaction upset mechanisms at a specific data rate and optical power are determined by the geometry of the charge collection volume of the detector. The authors show that state-of-the-art p-i-n detectors can also display a reduced sensitivity to direct ionization by incident protons except at grazing angles.

• OSTI ID: 323964
• Report Number(s): CONF-980705--
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science Journal Issue: 6Pt1 Vol. 45; ISSN 0018-9499; ISSN IETNAE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

44 INSTRUMENTATION
INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS
ERRORS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
INDIUM ARSENIDES
IONIZATION
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PHOTODETECTORS
PHOTODIODES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PROTONS
TRANSIENTS