Current radiation issues for programmable elements and devices

Abstract

State of the art programmable devices are utilizing advanced processing technologies, non-standard circuit structures, and unique electrical elements in commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS)-based, high-performance devices. This paper discusses that the above factors, coupled with the systems application environment, have a strong interplay that affect the radiation hardness of programmable devices and have resultant system impacts in (1) reliability of the unprogrammed, biased antifuse for heavy ions (rupture), (2) logic upset manifesting itself as clock upset, and (3) configuration upset. General radiation characteristics of advanced technologies are examined and manufacturers' modifications to their COTS-based devices and their impact on future programmable devices are analyzed.