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U.S. Department of Energy
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Complementary-symmetry/metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit hardening. Volume II. Silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) circuit design optimization and radiation effect studies. Final report, Feb 1973--Aug 1974

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7251695

Responses of silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) circuits to transient radiation have been analyzed--based upon predicted and experimental results from individual transistors and Complementary-Symmetry/Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) digital SOS integrated circuits. Measured circuit responses match those predicted by sapphire photoconduction theory within experimental accuracy. Since sapphire photoconduction is the limiting transient radiation effect in SOS circuits, mathematical models for this phenomena were developed for the prediction of dose-rate failure thresholds for SOS integrated circuits. These studies concluded that the optimum-geometry approach is the preferred dose-rate radiation hardening method, since it does not involve the disadvantage inherent in the capactive inertia apporach (i.e., increased area, lower yield, lower reliability, higher dynamic power dissipation, and slower speed). Results of experiments to investigate the origin of the 'kink' effect (anomalous drain-current characteristics) of n-channel silicon-on-sapphire MOS field-effect transistors (FETs) were analyzed and related to hypothesized physical mechanisms. The experimental data indicate that the characteristics of the base region in MOS FETs are responsible for this anomalous change of 3-terminal electrical characteristics.

Research Organization:
Rockwell International Corp., Anaheim, Calif. (USA). Electronics Research Div.
OSTI ID:
7251695
Report Number(s):
AD-A-021644
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English