Investigation of Radiation Effects on Semiconductor Devices and Integrated Circuits

Results of a study of radiation effects on electronic materials, devices, and integrated circuits are presented in this report. Emphasis was placed on determining the underlying mechanisms responsible for observed radiation effects with a view toward gaining understanding of value in the development of radiation-hardened devices. Measurements and analyses were performed of the effects of single energetic neutrons and protons on silicon integrated circuits. In addition, a detailed description is given of the effects of radiation-induced displacement damage on device depletion regions. Single event upset studies included charge collection and transient current measurements on Si and GaAs devices following a single alpha-particle strike. The angular dependence of charge funneling was also investigated. The mechanisms of ionizing radiation effects on Si MOS devices were explored in detail using the thermally stimulated current technique and other measurement approaches. Data obtained by several techniques show that use of the radiation-induced shift of the capacitance-voltage curve at midgap is not generally valid for determining oxide trapped charge.