Radiation Effects in Semiconductors: Technologies for Hardened Integrated Circuits

摘要

Various technologies are used to manufacture integrated circuits for electronic systems. But for specific applications, including those with radiation environment, it is necessary to choose an appropriate technology or to improve a specific one in order to reach a definite hardening level. The aim of this paper is to present the main effects induced by radiation (neutrons and gamma rays) into the basic semiconductor devices, to explain some physical degradation mechanisms and to propose solutions for hardened integrated circuit fabrication. The analysis involves essentially the monolithic structure of the integrated circuits and the isolation technology of active elements. In conclusion, the advantages of EPIC and SOS technologies are described and the potentialities of new technologies (GaAs and SOI) are presented. (ERA citation 09:029147)