Single-event upset and snapback in silicon-on-insulator devices and integrated circuits

Author

Dodd, P.E. ; Shaneyfelt, M.R. ; Walsh, D.S. ; Schwank, J.R. ; Hash, G.L. ; Loemker, R.A. ; Draper, B.L. ; Winokur, P.S.

Author_Institution

Sandia Nat. Labs., Albuquerque, NM, USA

Volume

47

Issue

6

fYear

2000

fDate

12/1/2000 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2165

Lastpage

2174

Abstract

The characteristics of ion-induced charge collection and single-event upset are studied in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) transistors and circuits with various body tie structures. Impact ionization effects, including single-event snapback, are shown to be very important. Focused ion microbeam experiments are used to find single-event snapback drain voltage thresholds in n-channel SOI transistors as a function of device width. Three-dimensional device simulations are used to determine single-event upset and snapback thresholds in SOI SRAMs, and to study design tradeoffs for various body-tie structures. A window of vulnerability to single-event snapback is shown to exist below the single-event upset threshold. The presence of single-event snapback in commercial SOI SRAMs is confirmed through broadbeam ion testing, and implications for hardness assurance testing of SOI integrated circuits are discussed

Keywords

CMOS memory circuits; SRAM chips; circuit simulation; focused ion beam technology; integrated circuit design; integrated circuit modelling; integrated circuit testing; radiation hardening (electronics); silicon-on-insulator; SOI SRAMs; SOI integrated circuits; body tie structures; design tradeoffs; device width; drain voltage thresholds; focused ion microbeam experiments; hardness assurance testing; ion-induced charge collection; silicon-on-insulator devices; single-event upset; snapback; three-dimensional device simulations; Body regions; Circuit simulation; Circuit testing; Dielectric substrates; Impact ionization; Integrated circuit testing; Silicon on insulator technology; Single event transient; Single event upset; Threshold voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/23.903749

Filename

903749