Single-event effects (SEEs) in integrated circuits and devices can be studied by utilizing ultra-fast pulsed laser system through Two Photon Absorption process. This paper presents technical ways to characterize key factors for laser based SEEs mapping testing system: output power from laser source, spot size focused by objective lens, opening window of Pockels cell, and calibration of injected laser energy. The laser based SEEs mapping testing system can work in a stable and controllable status by applying these methods. Furthermore, a sensitivity map of a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell with a 65 nm technique node was created through the established laser system. The sensitivity map of the SRAM cell was compared to a map generated by a commercial simulation tool (TFIT), and the two matched well. In addition, experiments in this paper also provided energy distribution profile along Z axis that is the direction of the pulsed laser injection and threshold energy for different SRAM structures.

Research on single event effects (SEEs) is significant to the design and manufacture of modern electronic devices. By applying two photon absorption (TPA) ultra-fast pulsed lasers, extra electron-hole pairs (EHPs) are generated in a desired location on a chip, simulating the process that could occur in the circuit by energetic particles. In this study, a SEE sensitivity mapping system is described which uses this method to generate real-time sensitivity maps for various electronic devices. The system hardware includes an attenuator to control the energy, a Pockels cell as a fast-optical switcher and a mirror–mirror module to project the laser beam into a certain location. The system software developed for this application controls the laser system, automatically generates sensitivity maps, communicates with the testing devices and logs the SEE results. The two main features of this laser mapping system are: high scanning velocity for large area scanning (about 1 × 1 mm) and high spatial resolution for small area scanning (about 1 × 1 μm). To verify this mapping system, sensitivity maps were generated for static random access memory (SRAM) built with 65 nm technology and for commercial operational amplifiers (op-amps). The achieved sensitivity maps were compared with circuitry analysis and laser testing results, confirming this mapping system to be effective.