Catastrophic latchup in CMOS analog-to-digital converters

Author

Miyahira, T.F. ; Johnston, A.H. ; Becker, H.N. ; LaLumondiere, S.D. ; Moss, S.C.

Author_Institution

Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA

Volume

48

Issue

6

fYear

2001

fDate

12/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1833

Lastpage

1840

Abstract

Heavy-ion latchup is investigated for analog-to-digital converters. Differences in cross section for various ions show that charge is collected at depths beyond 50 μm, causing the cross section to be underestimated unless long-range ions are used. Current distributions, thermal imaging, and diagnostic tests with a pulsed laser were used to identify latchup-sensitive regions. Latchup in one of the circuit types was catastrophic, even when the power was turned off within 2 ms of a latchup event. Examination of damaged devices with a scanning electron microscope showed that the failures occurred in metallization and contact regions. Current density for failure agrees with pulsed current metallization stress data in the literature

Keywords

CMOS digital integrated circuits; analogue-digital conversion; current density; failure analysis; integrated circuit metallisation; integrated circuit reliability; integrated circuit testing; ion beam effects; radiation hardening (electronics); scanning electron microscopy; 2 ms; 50 micron; CMOS analog-to-digital converters; catastrophic latchup; contact regions; cross section; current density; current distributions; damaged devices; diagnostic tests; failures; heavy-ion latchup; latchup-sensitive regions; long-range ions; metallization; pulsed current metallization stress data; pulsed laser; scanning electron microscopy; thermal imaging; Analog-digital conversion; Circuits; Current distribution; Laboratories; Metallization; NASA; Power supplies; Propulsion; Space technology; Substrates;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/23.983139

Filename

983139