Radiation damage bigger problem in microelectronics than previously thought
The amount of damage that radiation causes in electronic materials may be at least 10 times greater than previously thought.
That is the surprising result of a new characterization method that uses a combination of lasers and acoustic waves to provide scientists with a capability tantamount to X-ray vision: It allows them to peer through solid materials to pinpoint the size and location of defects buried deep inside with unprecedented precision.
The research, which was conducted by post-doctoral fellow Andrew Steigerwald under the supervision of Professor of Physics Norman Tolk, was published online on July 9 in the Journal of Applied Physics.