Evaluation of static performance of optoelectronic semiconductor devices under X-rays irradiation

Nowadays, the space technology is becoming increasingly versatile and important. Most of the important technologies such as weather forecasting, remote sensing, navigation operations, satellite television, and telecommunications systems, as well as surveillance and command-and-control operations for national security purposes critically rely on space infrastructure. Consequently, these kinds of systems are subjected to the deleterious effects of the natural space radiation environment. Furthermore, there is a growing tendency in using commercial-off-the shelf (COTS) optoelectronic devices for replacing dedicated expensive radiation hardened photonics. Expanding photonic system into such environments requires a full understanding of the effects that ionizing radiation will have on the optoelectronic properties. In this research, optoelectronic devices consisted of an infrared light emitting diode and a phototransistor with no special handling or third party-packaging were irradiated to ionizing radiation utilizing x-rays. It was found that the devices under test (DUTs) undergo performance degradation in their functional parameters during exposure to x-rays. These damaging effects are depending on their current drives and also the Total Ionizing Dose (TID) absorbed. The TID effects by x-rays are cumulative and gradually take place throughout the lifecycle of the devices exposed to radiation.