Computer simulation of ionizing radiation burnout in power MOSFETs

Author

Keshavarz, A.A. ; Fischer, T.A. ; Dawes, W.R., Jr. ; Hawkins, C.F.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM, USA

Volume

35

Issue

6

fYear

1988

fDate

12/1/1988 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1422

Lastpage

1427

Abstract

The first computer simulation of the ionizing-radiation-induced burnout in power MOSFETs is reported. The modeling results support a current-induced avalanche burnout mechanism at the interface of the epitaxial layer and the substrate coupled with parasitic bipolar transistor action, leading to secondary breakdown and thermal runaway. The simulations allow an evaluation of the effects of semiconductor parameters, device geometry, doping profiles, and bias voltage on the burnout dose-rate threshold. The model provides a method for optimizing the radiation hardness of power MOSFETs

Keywords

insulated gate field effect transistors; power transistors; radiation hardening (electronics); semiconductor device models; semiconductor epitaxial layers; semiconductor technology; semiconductor-insulator boundaries; Si-SiO₂; bias voltage; burnout dose-rate threshold; computer simulation; current-induced avalanche burnout mechanism; device geometry; doping profiles; effects of semiconductor parameters; ionizing radiation burnout; ionizing-radiation-induced burnout; model; modeling; parasitic bipolar transistor action; power MOSFETs; radiation hardened electronics; radiation hardness optimisation; secondary breakdown; thermal runaway; Avalanche breakdown; Bipolar transistors; Computational modeling; Computer simulation; Epitaxial layers; Ionizing radiation; MOSFETs; Semiconductor process modeling; Solid modeling; Substrates;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/23.25474

Filename

25474