Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Effects (SEE)
Mechanism and Effects
[Link] TEC-QEC
Based on RADECS Short Course 2003 by [Link]
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
III.A page 1
Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Outline
Introduction
Basic Mechanism
Overview on Non-Destructive Effects
Overview on Destructive Effects
Conclusion
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Introduction
SEE is electrical noise induced by the natural space
environment (high energy ionising particles)
Ionisation mechanism
Results in data corruption, transient disturbance, high
current conditions (non-destructive and destructive
effects)
Affects many types of devices and technologies
SEE can if not handled well cause unwanted functional
interrupts or in worst case catastrophic failures.
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Introduction
Galactic Cosmic Rays
Energetic Particles
Causing Single
Event Effects
Galactic cosmic rays
Cosmic solar particles Solar event protons,
(heavily influenced by heavy ions, and electrons
solar flares)
Trapped protons in
radiation belts
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Outline
Introduction
Basic Mechanism
Overview on Non-Destructive Effects
Overview on Destructive Effects
Conclusion
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Mechanism for Single Event Effects
After: [Link], JPL
What about e.g. trapped Electrons?
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Mechanism for Single Event Effects
Charge Collection
Prompt component :
drift / funneling
(high field regions)
Delayed component :
diffusion
(low field regions)
After: I. Nashiyama,,IEEE TNS, VOL. 40- 6, 1993
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Mechanism for Single Event Effects
Charge collections generated in
pn-junction typically leads to a
shunt effect or bipolar
amplification
Circuit design and technology
After: I. Nashiyama,,IEEE TNS, VOL. 40- 6, 1993
dependent
Bulk CMOS Epi CMOS Bipolar
After: [Link], JPL
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Summary Basic Mechanism
Ionisation from an ion trajectory
Charge Collection Mechanism in pn-
junctions
The device type and technology and the
localisation and amount of injected
charge will define if a SEE will be
triggered and the type of the SEE
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Sensitive Volyme SV
The volume responsible
for charge collection
for a SEE
m3
E, Z p+(E)
b b
a a
c
c
n
p Recoil
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
SEE Cross Section Curve vs LET
Cross section (CS or ) for a SEE
measures the probability for a SEE
sat
SEE Cross section (cm)
to occur
The Cross Section is a function of
LET
Below LETth the collected charge in
the SV is too low to induce the SEE
Saturation cross section (CSsat or
LETth
sat) defines the upper limit for SEE.
An ion injecting more charge in SV
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 will not increase SEE probability
LET ([Link]/mg)
LET threshold (LETth) and Saturation Cross Section (sat)
is key measures of Single Event Effects (SEE)
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Terms and Units
Linear Energy Transfer function LET (or Stopping Power)
MeV-cm2/mg
LET threshold LETth
MeV-cm2/mg
Critical Charge QC
pC
Cross section CS (or )
cm2 or m2
Saturation Cross section CSsat (or sat)
cm2 or m2
Sensitive Volume SV
m3
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Overview on Non-Destructive
Single Event Effects
Events which momentary or permanently
change state of a device or cell/node
without not affecting the functionality.
Main types
Single Event Upsets SEU
Single Event Functional Interrupts SEFI
Single Event Transients SET
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Upsets SEU
Change of state in storage element
Memory cell
Registers
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Upsets SEU
Bitline Ion Hit Bitline
True Comp
WL WL
When SEU current
ISEU exceeds
restoring current
from cross-coupled
inverter such that
the node voltage
drops below VD/2 for
too long, an upset
occurs
(After Baumann)
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Functional
Interrupts SEFI
Event leading to temporal loss of device
functionality
Recovered by reset or power cycle
Often induced from SEU in Control Registers
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Functional Interrupts
SEFI
Advanced Memories
Internal test modes
Microprogrammed cell
architecture
Flash Memories
Dominant effect
Crashes internal state
controller and buffers
Xilinx Programmable Logic
Arrays
Microprocessors
Many categories of responses
Detection and recovery are
After: JPL course by [Link] very difficult problems
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Transients SET
Transients on external signals e.g.
comparators
Internal transients in e.g. CMOS leading to
erroneous data
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Transients
SET
ion strike in e.g. a comparator
May affect
subsequent
circuits if not
well filtered in
design
After: JPL course by [Link]
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Transients
Strongly depend on bias condition
Cross section curves for transients in a comparator
After: JPL course by [Link]
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Overview on Destructive Single
Event Effects
Events which interrupt device function and
permanently damage the device without
external interaction
Four main types
Single Event Latch-up SEL
Single Event Burnout SEB
Single Event Gate Rupture SEGR
Single Event Hard Errors SHE
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Latch-up SEL
I
METAL
SOURCE GATE DRAIN DRAIN GATE SOURCE
IH
IL
n+ p+ R p+ n+
SCR
n+ p+
p
V DD
VH VL V
n-WELL Rn
If an energetic particle
p-SUBSTRATE Rp produces I>IL, np>1 and
pnp
VDD>VH, then latchup will
p occur
Latchup can cause As technology scales,
n soon VDD<VH and latchup
circuit lockup npn Rn is no longer a problem
and/or catastrophic
Epi reduces Rn increase
device failure latchup threshold
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Latch-up SEL
Facts
Triggered by heavy ions, protons, neutrons
May be catastrophic
Only recovered by power cycle
SEL is strongly temperature dependent
Threshold for latchup decreases at high temperature
Cross section increases as well
Modern devices may have many different latchup paths
Both high current and low current SELs can occur
Characterization of latchup is a difficult problem for complex
circuits
SEL is a critical effect with potential catastrophic impact on space
craft systems
SEL sensitive components shall as far as possible be avoided
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Latch-up SEL
Temperature Dependence Vin
Vdd Vout Vss
p+ n+ n+ p+ p+ n+
P subtrate
After: JPL course by [Link]
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Latch-up SEL
Counter Measures
SEL Detection and Mitigation
Current limiting devices cant stop latch-ups or
low current latch-ups
Detection circuits cant stop all latch-ups
Some devices have latch-up modes which are
always destructive
Mitigation may not be fast enough
Thorough testing required to ensure that all
latch-up events are detected
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Latch-up SEL
Technology Options
Device type
Bulk CMOS latches worst
Commercial off-the-shelf devices(COTS)
CMOS deposited on epitaxial layer may
improve SEL immunity
Some COTS - More Expensive
Not always effective (e.g., K-5 processor)
SOI and isolated oxides are mostly immune
Very expensive
Limited availability
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Hard Errors SHE
Large rare energy depositions can cause
individual cells to be unable to change
state
Referred to as a stuck bit in memory
This is believed to be a micro-dose effect
Micro latch-ups can cause a fraction of bits to
be unable to change state
Power cycling is required
EPFL Space Center 9th June 2009
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Burnout SEB
Mechanism:
Localized current in body of device
turns on parasitic bipolar transistor
Creating direct current path between
drain and source
Roughly analogous to second
breakdown in power transistors
Devices with low doping
concentrations are most susceptible
Triggered by heavy ions, and
possibly by protons and neutrons
Always destructive
CMOS, power BJTs and FETs and
MOSFETs can be susceptible
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Gate Rupture SEGR
Triggered by heavy ions
Gate
Always destructive to device
Gate oxide Dependent on angle of incidence
Dependent on electric field in
gate oxide
May also occur with zero electric
field over gate oxide
Interplay between pulsed current
in drain region and oxide field
Synergy between TID and SEE
Power MOSFETs most
susceptible
Some modern programmable
devices are also susceptible
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Single Event Effects - Summary
Single Event Upset (SEU) corruption of the information Memories, latches in logic devices
stored in a memory element
Multiple Bit Upset (MBU) several memory elements Memories, latches in logic devices
corrupted by a single strike
Single Event Functional corruption of a data path Complex devices with built-in state
Interrupt (SEFI) leading to loss of normal machine/control sections
operation
Single Hard Error (SHE) unalterable change of state in Memories, latches in logic
a memory element devices
Single Event Transient (SET) Impulse response of certain Analog and Mixed Signal circuits,
amplitude and duration Photonics
Single Event Disturb (SED) Momentary corruption of the combinational logic, latches in logic
information stored in a bit devices
Single Event Latchup (SEL) high-current conditions CMOS, BiCMOS devices
Single Event Snapback (SESB) high-current conditions N-channel MOSFET, SOI devices
Single Event Burnout (SEB) Destructive burnout due to BJT, N-channel Power MOSFET
high-current conditions
Single Event Gate Rupture Rupture of gate dielectric due Power MOSFETs, Non-volatile
(SEGR) to high electrical field NMOS structures, VLSIs, linear
conditions devices
Non Exhaustive, more in ECSS E-ST-10-12C
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Conclusion
SEE is a disturbance in EEE components induced from high energetic
particle by ionisation
Protons
indirect ionisation (mostly)
Heavy ions
direct ionisation
SEE can be
Destructive (SEL, SEB, SEGR, SHE, etc)
Non-Destructive (SEU, SEFI, SET, etc)
SEE is of major concern for space applications.
If not handled well SEE can lead to in worst case catastrophic damage on space
crafts.
Key measures for SEE
LET threshold (Energy threshold for protons)
Saturation Cross Section
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Space Radiation and its Effects on EEE Components
Bibliography
RADECS short course 2003 Sophie
Duzellier, Component characterisation and
Testing; Single Event
NSREC Short Course Notes 2005
A. Holmes-Siedle, L. Adams. Handbook of
Radiation Effects, Oxford University Press
ECSS E-ST-10-12C, Methods for the
calculation of radiation received and its effects,
and a policy for design margins, [Link]
With Handbook, ECSS-E-HB-10-12A Calculation Of Radiation
And Its Effects And Margin Policy Handbook [Link]
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