Innovative Methodologies for Modeling of EO/IR Sensors in a Radiation Environment

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Microelectronics; Space TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop methodologies and techniques for first principles modeling of radiation effects on EO/IR materials in both a natural space environment and a man-made radiation environment. DESCRIPTION: Seeking a modeling and simulation tool that will give an improved predictive capability for the assessment of microelectronic survivability in a radiation environment, in order to predict an average rate of defect formation, with the goal of determining the survivability of EO/IR detectors such as HgCdTe, or III-V materials, based on first principles. Modeling of defect formation in EO/IR detector materials in a radiation environment has been explored using molecular dynamics or density functional theory, and advances to these approaches are of interest, but new approaches may also be proposed. A methodology to bridge between analysis that can be done at very small (microscopic) length scales, and macroscopic or device-scale analysis, is also of interest. PHASE I: Show feasibility of a modeling approach, especially the capability to predict the survivability of an EO/IR detector in a radiation environment. PHASE II: Demonstrate a prototype modeling tool, benchmarked against test data. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Transition to defense applications modeling capabilities. REFERENCES: Schultz and Hjalmarson, From first-principles defect chemistry to device damage models of radiation effects in III-V semiconductors, MMM 2018, Osaka, Japan, https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1593578. Huang et al, Multi-Timescale Microscopic Theory for Radiation Degradation of Electronic and Optoelectronic Devices, American Journal of Space Science, 2015. Nordland et al, Primary radiation damage: A review of current understanding and models, Journal of Nuclear Materials, 512 (2018) 450-479, https://www.osti.gov/pages/biblio/1482433. Adams et al, The SIRE2 Toolkit, Space Weather, 18, e2019SW002364. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019SW002364. Broberg et al, PyCDT: A Python toolkit for modeling point defects in semiconductors and insulators, Computer Physics Communications 226 (2018) 165-179. KEYWORDS: Molecular dynamics, density functional theory, defect production in Silicon, III-V materials, HgCdTe