Chromacity's laser used in space research

Sandia utilised the Chromacity 1280 ultrafast laser in their system to simulate radiation-induced events in logic circuits, aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of new semiconductor devices for radiation-hardened applications. High-energy particles are known to cause permanent or transitory effects in semiconductor devices, exemplified by the recent memory damage incident in the NASA Voyager 1 spacecraft, likely caused by a high-energy particle strike.

Semiconductor devices are increasingly susceptible to damage from high-energy particles. Space electronics have always been vulnerable, prompting engineers to develop various countermeasures to mitigate issues arising from these high-energy events. As semiconductor devices adopt process technologies with smaller feature sizes, the problem is exacerbated, potentially leading to damage in devices used in terrestrial applications.

The Chromacity 1280, with a central wavelength of 1280nm, delivers sub-250fs pulses at a 100MHz repetition rate. It belongs to a family of fixed-wavelength femtosecond lasers, employing the company’s patented hybrid free-space and fibre architecture, which offers leading efficiency in a compact and robust form factor.