Title :
Co-60 and neutron irradiation of MOS-controlled thyristors
Author :
Loescher, D.H. ; Dawes, W.R., Jr. ; King, D.B.
Author_Institution :
Sandia Nat. Lab., Albuquerque, NM, USA
fDate :
12/1/1989 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The authors report changes in MOS-controlled thyristor (MCT) performance caused by irradiation with fast neutrons (E>1 MeV) and with Co-60 gamma rays. The results are significant because the MCT is representative of a growing class of power devices that combine bipolar and field-effect-transistor (FET) technologies and because MCTs are being considered for use in systems that must survive exposure to radiation. The MCTs tested, which were designed to hold off 400 V and carry 50 A, were operable with ±10-V control voltages after they received a total dose of 1 Mrad(Si), but they could not be turned on after exposure to 1E12 n/cm2. This observation is consistent with calculations of the effects of neutron fluence on minority-carrier transport in the MCT. The observed shifts with total dose of V on and, at least in part, of Vbias are consistent with the known behavior of p-channel and n-channel polysilicon gate FETs
Keywords :
environmental testing; gamma-ray effects; insulated gate field effect transistors; neutron effects; radiation hardening (electronics); semiconductor device testing; thyristors; 1 MeV; 10 V; 1E6 rad; 400 V; 50 A; 60Co gamma rays; Co-60 gamma rays; MCT; MOS-controlled thyristors; control voltages; effects of neutron fluence; exposure to radiation; irradiation with fast neutrons; minority-carrier transport; neutron irradiation; polycrystalline Si; polysilicon gate FETs; power devices; shifts with total dose; Circuit testing; FETs; Forward contracts; Gamma rays; Laboratories; MOSFETs; Neutrons; Threshold voltage; Thyristors; Voltage control;
Journal_Title :
Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on
