Analysis and Modeling of Single Event Transient Generation in Standard Combinational Cells
摘要
Singe Event Transients (SETs) are one of the most common causes of data corruption and malfunction in digital integrated circuits (ICs) employed in applications involving exposure to high-energy particles, such as space missions. Therefore, ICs intended to operate in ionizing radiation environments should be designed with special measures to ensure sufficient tolerance to SETs. To achieve this, the SET generation and propagation effects should be well understood and properly assessed for a given design and semiconductor technology. In this paper, we investigate the SET generation in standard combinational cells. Using SPICE simulations, we have analyzed the dependence of generated SET pulse width on various design and operating parameters. The characterization was done for standard cells designed in IHP’s 130 nm process, using a bias-dependent current source to inject SETs. Employing analytical fitting to the simulation results, a model for the width of generated SET pulse in terms of particle’s Linear Energy Transfer (LET), drive strength of target gate, drive strength of load gate, supply voltage and temperature was formulated. The proposed model is defined as the sum of multiple components, enabling to identify the contribution of individual parameters. It was shown that the average relative error of the proposed model with respect to the results from SPICE simulations is below 10% for LET > 2 MeVcm2mg−1, confirming the model's very good accuracy. The model could be used as a basis of an automated tool-flow for the analysis of SET effects in complex digital designs.