Particle Monte Carlo modeling of single-event transient current and charge collection in integrated circuits

Abstract This work describes a new computational approach for modeling the radiation-induced transient current and charge collection at circuit-level. Our methodology is based on a random-walk process that takes into account both diffusion and drift of radiation-induced minority carriers in a non-constant electric field both in space and time. The model has been successfully coupled either with an internal routine or with SPICE for circuit solving and feedback on the charge-collection process. It is illustrated here for a junction impacted by an ionizing particle and embedded in a CMOS inverter.

[1]  Philippe Roche,et al.  Technology downscaling worsening radiation effects in bulk: SOI to the rescue , 2013, 2013 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting.

[2]  G. Gasiot,et al.  A GPU/CUDA implementation of the collection-diffusion model to compute SER of large area and complex circuits , 2010, 2010 IEEE International Conference on Integrated Circuit Design and Technology.

[3]  E. Vittoz,et al.  An analytical MOS transistor model valid in all regions of operation and dedicated to low-voltage and low-current applications , 1995 .

[4]  D. Munteanu,et al.  Modeling and Simulation of Single-Event Effects in Digital Devices and ICs , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[5]  Guillaume Hubert,et al.  Device simulation study of the SEU sensitivity of SRAMs to internal ion tracks generated by nuclear reactions , 2001 .

[6]  Philippe Roche,et al.  Soft-Error Rate of Advanced SRAM Memories: Modeling and Monte Carlo Simulation , 2012 .

[7]  Siegfried Selberherr,et al.  Simulation of Semiconductor Devices and Processes , 1994, Springer Vienna.

[8]  Philippe Roche,et al.  Single event upset and multiple cell upset modeling in commercial bulk 65 nm CMOS SRAMs and flip-flops , 2009, 2009 European Conference on Radiation and Its Effects on Components and Systems.

[9]  J. Butcher.  Numerical methods for ordinary differential equations , 2003 .

[10]  L. W. Massengill,et al.  Single Event Transients in Digital CMOS—A Review , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[11]  F. Saigne,et al.  Innovative Simulations of Heavy Ion Cross Sections in 130 nm CMOS SRAM , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[12]  Sebastien Martinie,et al.  Behavioral modeling of SRIM tables for numerical simulation , 2014 .

[13]  I. Plante,et al.  Monte-Carlo Simulation of Particle Diffusion in Various Geometries and Application to Chemistry and Biology , 2013 .