Catastrophic SEE in high-voltage power MOSFETs
Heavy ion irradiation of high-voltage power MOSFETs with long-range ions was performed using 14, 19, 22, 24, 28 and 39 MeV-cm2/mg ions.
Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Miyahira, T..
Heavy ion irradiation of high-voltage power MOSFETs with long-range ions was performed using 14, 19, 22, 24, 28 and 39 MeV-cm2/mg ions.
This paper evaluates new optocoupler technologies and compares their radiation response with results for older devices.
With the rapidly increasing insertion of photonic devices, circuits and subsystems into NASA spacecraft, a variety of issues associated with reliability and radiation tolerance have arisen. In this paper, we discuss these issues from the perspective of the work currently ongoing in the NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program. This Program is focused on evaluating the reliability and radiation response of advanced and emerging microelectronics and photonics technologies of interest to NASA spacecraft system designers.
Heavy-ion latchup is investigated for analog-to-digital converters. Differences in cross section for various ions shows that charge is collected at depths beyond 50 um, causing the cross section to be underestimated unless long-range ions are used. Current distributions and thermal imaging were used to identify latchup-sensitive regions. Latchup in one of the circuittypes was catastrophic, even when the power was turned off within 10 ms of a latchup event.
We characterize the electrical performance and reliabilities as potential space electronic parts under extreme low and high temperature environments extending nominal device specifications.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Although many different processes can be used to manufacture linear integrated circuits, the process that is used for most circuits is optimized for high voltage -- a total power supply voltage of about 40 V -- and low cost. This process, which has changed little during the last twenty years, uses lateral and substrate p-n-p transistors. These p-n-p transistors have very wide base regions, increasing their sensitivity to displacement damage from electrons and protons. Although displacement damage effects can be easily treated for individual transistors, the net effect on linear circuits can be far more complex because circuit operation often depends on the interaction of several internal transistors. Note also that some circuits are made with more advanced processes with much narrower base widths. Devices fabricated with these newer processes are not expected to be significantly affected by displacement damage for proton fluences below 1 x 10(exp 12) p/sq cm. This paper discusses displacement damage in linear integrated circuits with more complex failure modes than those exhibited by simpler devices, such as the LM111 comparator, where the dominant response mode is gain degradation of the input transistor. Some circuits fail catastrophically at much lower equivalent total dose levels compared to tests with gamma rays. The device works satisfactorily up to nearly 1 Mrad(Si) when it is irradiated with gamma rays, but fails catastrophically between 50 and 70 krad(Si) when it is irradiated with protons.
Proton upset effects in optocouplers were reported by LaBel, et al. that showed an unexpected increase in cross section for incident angles above 80 degrees. Although it appeared that the angular dependence was related to direct ionization from protons, the angular dependence was weaker than expected from basic geometrical arguments using a shallow charge collection depth. Later work showed that the angular dependence of proton upset observed in the earlier studies at a single energy could be explained by considering the distribution of proton recoil energies along with the assumption of a deeper charge collection depth, which was consistent with upset tests from heavy ions. However, an experimental test of the underlying assumptions in the latter work has yet to be done. Protons in space not only arrive over a wide range of incident angles, but also involve a distribution of proton energies. It is necessary to understand both the angular dependence and the dependence of proton upset on energy in order to determine how optocouplers will respond in space. If the angular dependence only occurs for extreme angles of incidence, it will have little impact on the overall cross section because of the narrow acceptance angle. The present work examines mechanisms for proton upset in optocouplers in more detail, investigating the energy dependence and the effects of different load conditions. A model for proton upset is developed, along with a laboratory screening method to determine whether direct ionization is significant for specific device types.
This paper summarizes single event upset and latchup data from 1996 to 1998 from numerous sources.
Although many different processes can be used to manufacture linear integrated circuits, the process that is used for most circuits is optimized for high voltage -- a total power supply voltage of about 40 V -- and low cost.
Proton upset effects in optocouplers were reported by LaBel, et al. that showed an unexpected increase in cross section for incident angles above 80 degrees.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Breakdown of gate oxides from heavy ions is investigated.
Single-event upset is investigated for optocouplers.
Features of flash memories: Flash memories are non-volatile; that is they do not require power to retain the information in its memory. They can be erased and written to while the device is still in the circuit.
The state of understanding of the destructive SEGR event in power MOSFETs is relatively mature with large published efforts, both experimental and theoretical. However, gasps remain in the uderstanding of the phenomenon, including unexplained anomalies, emperical-only dependencies on some important device and incident ion physical parameters, and limited insight into latent effets.