Evaluation of Terahertz Time Domain Spectroscopy for Uncovering Dosimetric Properties of Microelectronic Materials

Despite years of work and numerous efforts, the issue of counterfeit microelectronic components remains persistent, posing significant reliability challenges for critical systems. This study aims to enhance counterfeit detection by identifying dosimetric properties in common microelectronic materials, which could reveal the environmental exposure history of these devices. By simulating oxidative aging with ultraviolet (UV) radiation and exposing materials to ionizing Gamma radiation, we assess changes in materials properties to evaluate candidates for exposure monitoring. We investiagated common materials and devices like FR4, Alumina, metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), and bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) measuring changes in the reflection and transmission properties using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz TDS) before and after radiation exposure. Notably, FR4 and Alumina both exhibited statistically significant change post-exposure, while the MOSFETs and BJTs showed inconclusive results despite drastic changes in the functionality of the BJTs. Our findings suggest that material property changes measured via THz TDS can show promise serving as temporal fingerprints for counterfeit detection.