Comparison of the degradation effects of heavy ion, electron, and cobalt-60 irradiation in an advanced bipolar process

Experimental measurements are reported of the degradation effects of high-energy particles (heavy ion (Br) and electron) and Co-60 gamma-rays on the current gain of minimum-geometry bipolar transistors made from an advanced process. The data clearly illustrate the total-ionizing-dose/particle-fluence behavior of this bipolar transistor produced by an advanced process. In particular, bulk damage from Co-60 gamma rays in bipolar transistors (base transport factor degradation) and surface damage in bipolar transistors from ionizing radiation (emitter-efficiency degradation) have been observed. The true equivalence between various types of radiation for this process technology has been determined on the basis of damage from the log[K₁] intercepts