Process Dependence of Soft Errors Induced by Alpha Particles, Heavy Ions, and High Energy Neutrons on Flip Flops in FDSOI

Abstract

Soft-error tolerance depending on threshold voltage of transistors was evaluated by α -particle, heavy-ion, and neutron irradiation. Three chips were fabricated, one embeds low-threshold general-purpose (GP) transistors and the others embed high-threshold low-power (LP) transistors in a 65 nm fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) process. There were a few errors on LPDFFs (DFFs with LP transistors). Error probability (EP) of LPDFFs was 99.88% smaller than that of GPDFFs (DFFs with GP transistors) by α particles. Average cross sections (CSs) of LPDFFs by heavy ions were 50% smaller than those of GPDFFs. Average soft-error rates (SERs) of LPDFFs by neutrons were 68% smaller than those of GPDFFs. 3-D device simulations revealed that CSs of the LP and GP transistors are changed by fitting methods using the work function of the gate material and doping concentration of the substrate under the BOX layer. The difference is due to the number of carriers in diffusion and silicon thickness of the raised layer above drain and source terminals.

Keywords

• Soft error
• α particle
• neutron
• heavy ion
• FDSOI
• flip flop