Optimized In-Pixel Mitigation Schemes for Photo-Detectors in Radiation Environments

"Current ballistic-missile defense relies upon semiconductor-based photo-detectors, which have inherent difficulties operating in a high-radiation environment, due to false targets and noise induced by the impinging radiation's interaction with the detectormaterial. As environments become more challenging, previous approaches relying on shielding and off-chip processing will no longer be able to compensate. On-chip processing becomes attractive as a way to mitigate radiation effects, and to allow operationthrough the more difficult missions required by current scenarios. This interest is enhanced by the continuing reduction in circuit feature-size, which allows for per-pixel enactment of many previously discussed, but technologically unavailable,approaches.Real-life production and testing of these mitigation schemes is expensive and time consuming. The choice of mitigation scheme can be very dependent on mission environment. We propose the development of a tool to simulate common schemes and allow fordirect evaluation of their efficacy under typical environments. This tool will be used to choose and optimize mitigation schemes for given mission scenarios. The choice will take into account the operational radiation environment, system processingcapabilities and characteristics, and current foundry capabilities of circuit production. This tool will be used in the choice and design of mitigation schemes for photosensors in specifi