Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “threshold voltage”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2012

Gas Composition Sensing Using Carbon Nanotube Arrays

This innovation is a lightweight, small sensor for inert gases that consumes a relatively small amount of power and provides measurements that are as accurate as conventional approaches. The sensing approach is based on generating an electrical discharge and measuring the specific gas breakdown voltage associated with each gas present in a sample. An array of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a substrate is connected to a variable-pulse voltage source. The CNT tips are spaced appropriately from the second electrode maintained at a constant voltage. A sequence of voltage pulses is applied and a pulse discharge breakdown threshold voltage is estimated for one or more gas components, from an analysis of the current-voltage characteristics. Each estimated pulse discharge breakdown threshold voltage is compared with known threshold voltages for candidate gas components to estimate whether at least one candidate gas component is present in the gas. The procedure can be repeated at higher pulse voltages to estimate a pulse discharge breakdown threshold voltage for a second component present in the gas. The CNTs in the gas sensor have a sharp (low radius of curvature) tip; they are preferably multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) or carbon nanofibers (CNFs), to generate high-strength electrical fields adjacent to the tips for breakdown of the gas components with lower voltage application and generation of high current. The sensor system can provide a high-sensitivity, low-power-consumption tool that is very specific for identification of one or more gas components. The sensor can be multiplexed to measure current from multiple CNT arrays for simultaneous detection of several gas components.

Li, Jing↗
NASA NTRS2011

Fast-responding short circuit protection system with self-reset for use in circuit supplied by DC power

A short circuit protection system includes an inductor, a switch, a voltage sensing circuit, and a controller. The switch and inductor are electrically coupled to be in series with one another. A voltage sensing circuit is coupled across the switch and the inductor. A controller, coupled to the voltage sensing circuit and the switch, opens the switch when a voltage at the output terminal of the inductor transitions from above a threshold voltage to below the threshold voltage. The controller closes the switch when the voltage at the output terminal of the inductor transitions from below the threshold voltage to above the threshold voltage.

Burns, Bradley M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Integrating Partial Polarization into a Metal-Ferroelectric-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor Model

The ferroelectric channel in a Metal-Ferroelectric-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MFSFET) can partially change its polarization when the gate voltage near the polarization threshold voltage. This causes the MFSFET Drain current to change with repeated pulses of the same gate voltage near the polarization threshold voltage. A previously developed model [11, based on the Fermi-Dirac function, assumed that for a given gate voltage and channel polarization, a sin-le Drain current value would be generated. A study has been done to characterize the effects of partial polarization on the Drain current of a MFSFET. These effects have been described mathematically and these equations have been incorporated into a more comprehensive mathematical model of the MFSFET. The model takes into account the hysteresis nature of the MFSFET and the time dependent decay as well as the effects of partial polarization. This model defines the Drain current based on calculating the degree of polarization from previous gate pulses, the present Gate voltage, and the amount of time since the last Gate volta-e pulse.

MacLeod, Todd C.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Hierarchical Approach to 'Atomistic' 3-D MOSFET Simulation

We present a hierarchical approach to the 'atomistic' simulation of aggressively scaled sub-0.1 micron MOSFET's. These devices are so small that their characteristics depend on the precise location of dopant atoms within them, not just on their average density. A full-scale three-dimensional drift-diffusion atomistic simulation approach is first described and used to verify more economical, but restricted, options. To reduce processor time and memory requirements at high drain voltage, we have developed a self-consistent option based on a solution of the current continuity equation restricted to a thin slab of the channel. This is coupled to the solution of the Poisson equation in the whole simulation domain in the Gummel iteration cycles. The accuracy of this approach is investigated in comparison to the full self-consistent solution. At low drain voltage, a single solution of the nonlinear Poisson equation is sufficient to extract the current with satisfactory accuracy. In this case, the current is calculated by solving the current continuity equation in a drift approximation only, also in a thin slab containing the MOSFET channel. The regions of applicability for the different components of this hierarchical approach are illustrated in example simulations covering the random dopant-induced threshold voltage fluctuations, threshold voltage lowering, threshold voltage asymmetry, and drain current fluctuations.

Asenov, Asen↗
NASA NTRS1975

Corona-vacuum failure mechanism test facilities

A nondestructive corona-vacuum test facility for testing high-voltage power system components has been developed using commercially available hardware. The facility simulates operating temperature and vacuum while monitoring coronal discharges with residual gases. Corona threshold voltages obtained from statorette tests with various gas-solid dielectric systems and comparison with calculated data support the following conclusions: (1) air gives the highest corona threshold voltage and helium the lowest, with argon and helium-xenon mixtures intermediate; (2) corona threshold voltage increases with gas pressure; (3) corona threshold voltage for an armature winding can be accurately calculated by using Paschen curves for a uniform field; and (4) Paschen curves for argon can be used to calculate the corona threshold voltage in He-Xe mixtures, for which Paschen curves are unavailable.-

Lalli, V. R.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Gas composition sensing using carbon nanotube arrays

A method and system for estimating one, two or more unknown components in a gas. A first array of spaced apart carbon nanotubes (''CNTs'') is connected to a variable pulse voltage source at a first end of at least one of the CNTs. A second end of the at least one CNT is provided with a relatively sharp tip and is located at a distance within a selected range of a constant voltage plate. A sequence of voltage pulses {V(t.sub.n)}.sub.n at times t=t.sub.n (n=1, . . . , N1; N1.gtoreq.3) is applied to the at least one CNT, and a pulse discharge breakdown threshold voltage is estimated for one or more gas components, from an analysis of a curve I(t.sub.n) for current or a curve e(t.sub.n) for electric charge transported from the at least one CNT to the constant voltage plate. Each estimated pulse discharge breakdown threshold voltage is compared with known threshold voltages for candidate gas components to estimate whether at least one candidate gas component is present in the gas. The procedure can be repeated at higher pulse voltages to estimate a pulse discharge breakdown threshold voltage for a second component present in the gas.

Li, Jing↗
NASA NTRS1994

Temporal study of the current collected by a Langmuir probe biased to high voltages in the wake behind a conducting body

The temporal evolution of the voltage-current characteristic of a spherical Langmuir probe in the near-wake region of a conducting body is investigated in a pulsed plasma device. Measurements of the current collected by a sphere placed on axis behind a conducting disk are presented as a function of the bias voltage and time. The bias voltage on the collecting sphere is large enough, ranging from +500 to -3000 V, to attract ions or electrons across the wake region. In addition, plasma potential profiles as a function of sphere bias voltage and time throughout the nearwake and midwake region are presented. It is found that for a negative sphere bias a threshold voltage exists for current collection. This threshold voltage decreases during the formation of the wake behind the conducting disk. Potential measurements indicate that the sheath region around the negatively biased sphere contracts as the wake region establishes itself. This contraction of the sheath region increases the electric field attracting ions to the sphere and decreases the threshold voltage for current collection. For positive sphere bias voltage the current collected by the sphere does not exhibit a threshold voltage but is monotonically increasing.

Meassick, S.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Quantum Mechanical Study of Nanoscale MOSFET

The steady state characteristics of MOSFETS that are of practical Interest are the drive current, off-current, dope of drain current versus drain voltage, and threshold voltage. In this section, we show that quantum mechanical simulations yield significantly different results from drift-diffusion based methods. These differences arise because of the following quantum mechanical features: (I) polysilicon gate depletion in a manner opposite to the classical case (II) dependence of the resonant levels in the channel on the gate voltage, (III) tunneling of charge across the gate oxide and from source to drain, (IV) quasi-ballistic flow of electrons. Conclusions dI/dV versus V does not increase in a manner commensurate with the increase in number of subbands. - The increase in dI/dV with bias is much smaller then the increase in the number of subbands - a consequence of bragg reflection. Our calculations show an increase in transmission with length of contact, as seen in experiments. It is desirable for molecular electronics applications to have a small contact area, yet large coupling. In this case, the circumferential dependence of the nanotube wave function dictates: - Transmission in armchair tubes saturates around unity - Transmission in zigzag tubes saturates at two.

Svizhenko, Alexei↗
NASA NTRS2002

Transient Voltage Recorder

A voltage transient recorder can detect lightning induced transient voltages. The recorder detects a lightning induced transient voltage and adjusts input amplifiers to accurately record transient voltage magnitudes. The recorder stores voltage data from numerous monitored channels, or devices. The data is time stamped and can be output in real time, or stored for later retrieval. The transient recorder, in one embodiment, includes an analog-to-digital converter and a voltage threshold detector. When an input voltage exceeds a pre-determined voltage threshold, the recorder stores the incoming voltage magnitude and time of arrival. The recorder also determines if its input amplifier circuits clip the incoming signal or if the incoming signal is too low. If the input data is clipped or too low, the recorder adjusts the gain of the amplifier circuits to accurately acquire subsequent components of the lightning induced transients.

Pedro J Medelius↗
NASA NTRS2000

Increase in the Random Dopant Induced Threshold Fluctuations and Lowering in Sub 100 nm MOSFETs Due to Quantum Effects: A 3-D Density-Gradient Simulation Study

In this paper we present a detailed simulation study of the influence of quantum mechanical effects in the inversion layer on random dopant induced threshold voltage fluctuations and lowering in sub 100 nm MOSFETs. The simulations have been performed using a 3-D implementation of the density gradient (DG) formalism incorporated in our established 3-D atomistic simulation approach. This results in a self-consistent 3-D quantum mechanical picture, which implies not only the vertical inversion layer quantisation but also the lateral confinement effects related to current filamentation in the 'valleys' of the random potential fluctuations. We have shown that the net result of including quantum mechanical effects, while considering statistical dopant fluctuations, is an increase in both threshold voltage fluctuations and lowering. At the same time, the random dopant induced threshold voltage lowering partially compensates for the quantum mechanical threshold voltage shift in aggressively scaled MOSFETs with ultrathin gate oxides.

Asenov, Asen↗
NASA NTRS1991

CRRES microelectronic test chip

The JPL CRRES chip was designed and fabricated in 1985 and included in the CRRES MEP. MOSFET Matrix results show the effect of shielding on radiation-induced MOSFET threshold voltage shifts and channel mobility degradation. Shielded (middle board) MOSFETs have a threshold-voltage damage factor that is approximately three orders of magnitude smaller than would be estimated from Co-60 ground tests. Unshielded (outer board) MOSFETs have a threshold-voltage damage factor that would be estimated from Co-60 ground tests. Temperature swings as large as 23 C with a 22.5 orbit periodicity affected the MOSFET data and were removed from the data in order to reveal the radiation effects. This experiment demonstrated the feasibility of characterizing MOSFETs in a matrix, thus reducing the complexity and mass of the experiment.

Lin, Y.-S.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Modeling of Gate Bias Modulation in Carbon Nanotube Field-Effect-Transistors

The threshold voltages of a carbon nanotube (CNT) field-effect transistor (FET) are derived and compared with those of the metal oxide-semiconductor (MOS) FETs. The CNT channel is so thin that there is no voltage drop perpendicular to the gate electrode plane, which is the CNT diameter direction, and this makes the CNTFET characteristics quite different from those in MOSFETs. The relation between the voltage and the electrochemical potentials, and the mass action law for electrons and holes are examined in the context of CNTs, and it is shown that the familiar relations are still valid because of the macroscopic number of states available in the CNTs. This is in sharp contrast to the cases of quantum dots. Using these relations, we derive an inversion threshold voltage V(sub Ti) and an accumulation threshold voltage V(sub Ta) as a function of the Fermi level E(sub F) in the channel, where E(sub F) is a measure of channel doping. V(sub Ti) of the CNTFETs has a much stronger dependence than that of MOSFETs, while V(sub Ta)s of both CNTFETs and MOSFETs depend quite weakly on E(sub F) with the same functional form. This means the transition from normally-off mode to normally-on mode is much sharper in CNTFETs as the doping increases, and this property has to be taken into account in circuit design.

Yamada, Toshishige↗
NASA NTRS1988

A CMOS matrix for extracting MOSFET parameters before and after irradiation

An addressable matrix of 16 n- and 16 p-MOSFETs was designed to extract the dc MOSFET parameters for all dc gate bias conditions before and after irradiation. The matrix contains four sets of MOSFETs, each with four different geometries that can be biased independently. Thus the worst-case bias scenarios can be determined. The MOSFET matrix was fabricated at a silicon foundry using a radiation-soft CMOS p-well LOCOS process. Co-60 irradiation results for the n-MOSFETs showed a threshold-voltage shift of -3 mV/krad(Si), whereas the p-MOSFETs showed a shift of 21 mV/krad(Si). The worst-case threshold-voltage shift occurred for the n-MOSFETs, with a gate bias of 5 V during the anneal. For the p-MOSFETs, biasing did not affect the shift in the threshold voltage. A parasitic MOSFET dominated the leakage of the n-MOSFET biased with 5 V on the gate during irradiation. Co-60 test results for other parameters are also presented.

Blaes, B. R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Solar array arcing in plasmas

Solar cells in space plasma conditions are known to arc into the plasma when the interconnects are at a negative potential of a few hundred volts, relative to plasma potential. For cells with silver-coated interconnects, a threshold voltage for arcing exists at about -230 V, as found in both ground and LEO experiments. The arc rate beyond the threshold voltage depends nearly linearly on plasma density, but has a strong power-law dependence on voltage, such that for small increments in operating voltage there is a large increment in arc rate. The arcs generate broadband radio interference and visible light. In ground tests, interconnects have been damaged by arcs in cells having insufficient isolation from a source of high current. Models for the arcs are highly dependent on the choice of interconnect conductor material exposed to the plasma and possibly on the geometry and choice of adjacent insulator material. Finally, new technology solar cells use copper for the cell interconnects, a material which may have a lower arcing threshold voltage than silver. It is expected, from ground tests of simulated solar cells, that any junction of conductor and insulator exposed to space plasma conditions will arc into the plasma at a few hundred volts negative potential, relative to the local plasma.

Ferguson, Dale C.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Effect of load voltage on thin film cuprous sulfide: Cadmium sulfide solar cells thermally cycled in a simulated space environment

Thin-film Cu2S-CdS solar cells, loaded at various fixed values of load resistance, were thermally cycled for 1429 cycles in a simulated space environment. Cell performance was measured under controlled conditions in air before and after thermal cycling. These data were used to determine the effect of load voltage on cell performance. The performance of the cells was relatively independent of load voltage up to about 0.39 volt. This appears to be a threshold voltage, beyond which there was a significant loss in cell performance. Fortunately, this threshold voltage appears to be sufficiently higher than the maximum power voltage of 0.33 volt so that it can be avoided in most applications.

Smithrick, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Threshold determining mechanisms for discharges in high voltage solar arrays

A theory is developed to account for the observed properties of discharges of solar arrays immersed in plasma. The theory is based on the assumption that a thin layer of insulating contaminant covers any metallic surface exposed to the plasma. Quantities derivable from the theory include a voltage threshold for arcing. The existence of the threshold and its predicted weak dependence on plasma density appear consistent with experimental results.

Parks, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Radiation Evaluation of an Advanced 64Mb 3.3V DRAM and Insights into the Effects of Scaling on Radiation Hardness

In this paper, total ionizing dose radiation evaluations of the Micron 64 Mb 3.3 V, fast page mode DRAM and the IBM LUNA-ES 16 Mb DRAM are presented. The effects of scaling on total ionizing dose radiation hardness are studied utilizing test structures and a series of 16 Mb DRAMs with different feature sizes from the same manufacturing line. General agreement was found between the threshold voltage shifts of 16 Mb DRAM test structures and the threshold voltage measured on complete circuits using retention time measurements. Retention time measurement data from early radiation doses are shown that allow internal failure modes to be distinguished.

Radiation Hardness↗
NASA NTRS2001

Composite Material Switches

A device to protect electronic circuitry from high voltage transients is constructed from a relatively thin piece of conductive composite sandwiched between two conductors so that conduction is through the thickness of the composite piece. The device is based on the discovery that conduction through conductive composite materials in this configuration switches to a high resistance mode when exposed to voltages above a threshold voltage.

Javadi, Hamid↗