Total Ionizing Dose Effects in MOS and Low-Dose-Rate-Sensitive Linear-Bipolar Devices

Abstract

An overview is presented of total ionizing dose (TID) effects in MOS and bipolar devices from a historical perspective, focusing primarily on work presented at the annual IEEE Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference (NSREC). From the founding of the IEEE NSREC in 1964 until <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex Notation="TeX">$\sim $</tex></formula> 1976, foundational work led to the discovery of TID effects in MOS devices, the characterization of basic charge transport and trapping processes in <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex Notation="TeX">${\hbox{SiO}}_{2}$</tex></formula> , and the development of the first generations of metal-gate radiation-hardened MOS technologies. From <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex Notation="TeX">$\sim $</tex></formula> 1977 until <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex Notation="TeX">$\sim $</tex></formula> 1985, significant progress was made in the understanding of critical defects and impurities that limit the radiation response of MOS devices. These include O vacancies in <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex Notation="TeX">${\hbox{SiO}}_{2}$</tex> </formula> , dangling Si bonds at the <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex Notation="TeX">${\hbox{Si/SiO}}_{2}$</tex> </formula> interface, and hydrogen. In addition, radiation-hardened Si-gate CMOS technologies were developed. From <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex Notation="TeX">$\sim $</tex></formula> 1986 until <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex Notation="TeX">$\sim $</tex></formula> 1997, a significant focus was placed on understanding postirradiation effects in MOS devices and implementing hardness assurance test methods to qualify devices for use in space systems. Enhanced low-dose-rate sensitivity (ELDRS) was discovered and investigated in linear bipolar devices and integrated circuits. From <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex Notation="TeX">$\sim $</tex></formula> 1998 until the present, an increasing focus has been placed on theoretical studies enabled by rapidly advancing computational capabilities, modeling and simulation, effects in ultra-thin oxides and alternative dielectrics to <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex Notation="TeX">${\hbox{SiO}}_{2}$</tex> </formula> , and in developing a comprehensive model of ELDRS.