Combined altitude and underground real-time SER characterization of CMOS technologies on the ASTEP-LSM platform

This work surveys our 2005-2009 experimental contributions to develop a combined altitude and underground test platform devoted to the soft-error rate (SER) characterization of deca-nanometer CMOS technologies. The platform currently involves two complementary sites to separate the component of the SER induced by the cosmic rays from that caused by on-chip radioactive impurities: the Altitude SEE Test European Platform (ASTEP) located at the altitude of 2252 m on the Plateau de Bure (French south Alps) and the Underground Laboratory of Modane (LSM) in the Frejus tunnel under 1700 m of rock (4800 meters water equivalent). These two sites have both dedicated instrumentations for neutron monitoring and circuit SER characterization. Long-duration real-time experimental measurements obtained using several gigabits of SRAMs manufactured in CMOS 130 nm and 65 nm technologies are reported and analyzed.