Ionising radiation effects: a vital issue for semiconductor electronics

Many modern electronic systems are required to survive harsh radiation environments, such as those naturally present in space or those which may be artificially created by machines or nuclear devices. Semiconductor devices are innately susceptible to ionising radiation effects due to intrinsic features of their design. Certain specific radiation effects mechanisms may be identified as limiting the radiation survivability of systems using current device fabrication technologies. These include dose-rate-induced latch-up of ICs, gate oxide charging in MOSFETs, displacement damage in solar cells and single event upset in memory devices. Technology trends in semiconductor electronics are exacerbating latch-up problems and single event upsets in particular. These radiation effects are discussed.