Flip-flops soft error rate evaluation approach considering internal single-event transient

The internal single-event transient (SET) induced upset in flip-flops is becoming significant with the increase of the operating frequency. However, the conventional soft error rate (SER) evaluation approach could only produce an approximate upset prediction result caused by the internal SET. In this paper, we propose an improved SER evaluation approach based on Monte Carlo simulation. A novel SET-based upset model is implemented in the proposed evaluation approach to accurately predict upsets caused by the internal SET. A test chip was fabricated in a commercial 65 nm bulk process to validate the accuracy of the improved SER evaluation approach. The predicted single-event upset cross-sections are consistent with the experimental data.

[1]  L. W. Massengill,et al.  Impact of Supply Voltage and Frequency on the Soft Error Rate of Logic Circuits , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[2]  L. W. Massengill,et al.  Effect of Transistor Density and Charge Sharing on Single-Event Transients in 90-nm Bulk CMOS , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[3]  L. W. Massengill,et al.  Frequency Dependence of Alpha-Particle Induced Soft Error Rates of Flip-Flops in 40-nm CMOS Technology , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[4]  Chen Shuming,et al.  Impact of Circuit Placement on Single Event Transients in 65 nm Bulk CMOS Technology , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[5]  R.A. Reed,et al.  Predicting Thermal Neutron-Induced Soft Errors in Static Memories Using TCAD and Physics-Based Monte Carlo Simulation Tools , 2007, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[6]  Bin Liang,et al.  Device-physics-based analytical model for SET pulse in sub-100 nm bulk CMOS Process , 2012, Science China Information Sciences.

[7]  N. Sano,et al.  Multi-Scale Monte Carlo Simulation of Soft Errors Using PHITS-HyENEXSS Code System , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[8]  G. Hubert,et al.  Operational SER Calculations on the SAC-C Orbit Using the Multi-Scales Single Event Phenomena Predictive Platform (MUSCA ${\rm SEP}^{3}$) , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[9]  Sylvain Clerc,et al.  Experimental Soft Error Rate of Several Flip-Flop Designs Representative of Production Chip in 32 nm CMOS Technology , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[10]  Shuming Chen,et al.  Calculating the Soft Error Vulnerabilities of Combinational Circuits by Re-Considering the Sensitive Area , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[11]  H.H.K. Tang,et al.  SEMM-2: a modeling system for single event upset analysis , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[12]  R. Geer,et al.  Superior TID Hardness in TiN/HfO $_{2}$/TiN ReRAMs After Proton Radiation , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[13]  Nobuyuki Sano,et al.  Multi-scale Monte Carlo simulation of soft errors using PHITS-HyENEXSS code system , 2011, 2011 12th European Conference on Radiation and Its Effects on Components and Systems.

[14]  R.A. Reed,et al.  Heavy Ion Testing and Single Event Upset Rate Prediction Considerations for a DICE Flip-Flop , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[15]  R.A. Reed,et al.  Integrating Circuit Level Simulation and Monte-Carlo Radiation Transport Code for Single Event Upset Analysis in SEU Hardened Circuitry , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[16]  Shuming Chen,et al.  A Constrained Layout Placement Approach to Enhance Pulse Quenching Effect in Large Combinational Circuits , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability.

[17]  peixiong zhao,et al.  Monte Carlo Simulation of Single Event Effects , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[18]  Shuming Chen,et al.  Novel Layout Technique for N-Hit Single-Event Transient Mitigation via Source-Extension , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[19]  B. L. Bhuva,et al.  Technology Scaling Comparison of Flip-Flop Heavy-Ion Single-Event Upset Cross Sections , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[20]  Shuming Chen,et al.  Effect of p-well contact on n-well potential modulation in a 90 nm bulk technology , 2012 .

[21]  C. Carmichael,et al.  Monte-Carlo Based On-Orbit Single Event Upset Rate Prediction for a Radiation Hardened by Design Latch , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.