Synergetic effects of radiation stress and hot-carrier stress on the current gain of npn bipolar junction transistors

Conference · Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1994 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)

OSTI ID:6762648

Witczak, S C; Kosier, S L; Schrimpf, R D; Galloway, K F ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering

The combined effects of ionizing radiation and hot-carrier stress on the current gain of npn bipolar junction transistors were investigated. The analysis was carried out experimentally by examining the consequences of interchanging the order in which the two stress types were applied to identical transistors which were stressed to various levels of damage. The results indicate that the hot-carrier response of the transistor is improved by radiation damage, whereas hot-carrier damage has little effect on subsequent radiation stress. Characterization of the temporal progression of hot-carrier effects revealed that hot-carrier stress acts initially to reduce excess base current and improve current gain in irradiated transistors. PISCES simulations show that the magnitude of the peak electric-field within the emitter-base depletion region is reduced significantly by net positive oxide charges induced by radiation. The interaction of the two stress types is explained in a qualitative model based on the probability of hot-carrier injection determined by radiation damage and on the neutralization and compensation of radiation-induced positive oxide charges by injected electrons. The result imply that a bound on damage due to the combined stress types is achieved when hot-carrier stress precedes any irradiation.

• OSTI ID: 6762648
• Report Number(s): CONF-940726-; CODEN: IETNAE
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States), Vol. 41:6Pt1; Conference: 31. annual international nuclear and space radiation effects conference, Tucson, AZ (United States), 18-22 Jul 1994; ISSN 0018-9499
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
JUNCTION TRANSISTORS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHARGE CARRIERS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
DEPLETION LAYER
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
PERFORMANCE
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
LAYERS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATION EFFECTS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SIMULATION
TRANSISTORS
440200* - Radiation Effects on Instrument Components
Instruments
or Electronic Systems