Accurate, predictive modeling of soft error rate due to cosmic rays and chip alpha radiation

Author

Srinivasan, G.R. ; Murley, P.C. ; Tang, H.K.

Author_Institution

R&D Center, IBM Corp., Hopewell Junction, NY, USA

fYear

1994

fDate

11-14 April 1994

Firstpage

12

Lastpage

16

Abstract

We report here the development of a unique and comprehensive computer program (SEMM) to calculate the probability of soft fails in integrated circuits due to alpha particles emanating from the chip materials and due to terrestrial cosmic rays. This model treats all failure modes on an event by event basis allowing for all nuclear reactions and pulse shape effects. It is a three-dimensional design tool that takes the detailed chip layout and profile information to compute the soft error rate and is used without any parameter fitting. SEMM has been extensively tested with hot sources, high energy proton beams, and high elevation cosmic ray tests. Applications of SEMM to bipolar and CMOS chips and considerations for building in reliability for radiation induced soft fails are also discussed.<>

Keywords

alpha-particle effects; circuit CAD; circuit analysis computing; circuit reliability; cosmic rays; errors; failure analysis; integrated memory circuits; monolithic integrated circuits; radiation hardening (electronics); semiconductor device models; CMOS chips; SEMM; SER; alpha particles; bipolar chips; chip alpha radiation; chip materials; computer program; cosmic rays; failure modes; integrated circuits; predictive modeling; radiation induced soft fails; reliability; soft error rate; three-dimensional design tool; Alpha particles; Circuits; Cosmic rays; Error analysis; Particle tracking; Predictive models; Pulse shaping methods; Semiconductor device modeling; Shape; Solid modeling;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Reliability Physics Symposium, 1994. 32nd Annual Proceedings., IEEE International

Conference_Location

San Jose, CA, USA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-1357-7

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/RELPHY.1994.307864

Filename

307864