A conceptual model of single-event gate-rupture in power MOSFETs

Conference · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)

OSTI ID:6839977

Brews, J R; Allenspach, M; Schrimpf, R D; Galloway, K F ^[1]; Titus, J L ^[2]; Wheatley, C F ^[3]

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1. Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States). Electrical and Computer Engineering Dept.
2. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, IN (United States). Crane Division
3. Wheatley (C.F.), Drums, PA (United States)

For the first time, a simple model of hole build-up and its induced image charge in the gate electrode of a power MOSFET is shown to lead to large enough oxide fields to cause oxide breakdown. These holes are collected from the plasma sheath of electron-hole pairs generated along the strike path of an incident heavy ion. This model replaces the picturesque but unquantifiable visualization of the sheath of mobile pairs as a plasma wire or a depletion-layer collapse that short-circuits the depletion-layer voltage, allowing the drain bias to become applied directly across the oxide. In power MOSFETs, two types of single-event damage are known: single-event burnout (SEB) and single-event gate rupture (SEGR). Here, a physical model of hole-collection following a heavy-ion strike is proposed to explain the development of oxide fields sufficient to cause single-event gate rupture in power MOSFET's. It is found that the size of the maximum field and the time at which it is attained are strongly affected by the hole mobility.

• OSTI ID: 6839977
• Report Number(s): CONF-930704--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States) Journal Volume: 40:6Pt1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440200* -- Radiation Effects on Instrument Components
Instruments
or Electronic Systems
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CARRIER MOBILITY
CHARGE COLLECTION
CHARGED PARTICLES
FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS
HEAVY IONS
IONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOBILITY
MOS TRANSISTORS
MOSFET
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
TRANSISTORS