Thermal neutron-induced single-event upsets in microcontrollers containing boron-10

Journal Article · Wed Nov 06 00:00:00 EST 2019 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2019.2951996· OSTI ID:1574802

Auden, Elizabeth C. ^[1]; Quinn, Heather M. ^[1]; Wender, Stephen A. ^[1]; O'Donnell, John M. ^[1]; Lisowski, Paul W. ^[1]; George, Jeffrey S. ^[1]; Xu, Ning ^[1]; Black, Dolores A. ^[2]; Black, Jeffrey D. ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Single-event upsets (SEUs) were measured in thermal neutron-irradiated microcontrollers with 65-nm node and 130-nm node SRAMs. The suspected upset mechanism is charge deposition from the energetic byproducts of ¹⁰B thermal neutron capture. Although elemental analysis confirmed that both microcontrollers contain ¹⁰B, only the 65-nm node microcontroller exhibited a strong response to thermal neutrons. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to investigate the effects of ¹¹B enrichment on thermal neutron-induced SEUs in a 65-nm SRAM node when boron is present in the p-type well, p-type source and drain, or tungsten plug. Simulations indicate that the byproducts of ¹⁰B(n,α)⁷Li reactions are capable of generating sufficient charge to upset a 65-nm SRAM. Finally, the highest amount of charge deposition from ¹⁰B(n,α)⁷Li reaction byproducts occurs when natural boron is used to dope the p-type source and drain regions. Simulations also show that the SEU cross section is non-negligible when ¹¹B-enriched boron is used for doping.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001; AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1574802
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1608680
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--19-26094; SAND2019--7606J; 677058
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 67; ISSN 0018-9499
• Publisher: IEEE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
SRAM cells
microcontrollers
neutron
radiation effects
semiconductor device doping
semiconductor device modeling
single event effects