Upsets in Error Detection and Correction Integrated Circuits

Two error detection and correction integrated circuits, one manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices and one manufactured by Texas Instruments, have been tested for sensitivity to single event upsets. The AMD devices have been tested in a 14 MeV average energy neutron beam to fluences of about 1012 neutrons/cm2 and no upsets were observed. The AMD and TI devices have been tested in a 40 MeV proton beam to fluences of about 1013 protons/cm2. No upsets were observed in the TI devices. The AMD devices experienced upsets at a cross-section of 1.83 × 10-12 to 8.85 × 10-13 upsets/proton/cm2 depending on the date code and operating frequency. Analysis of the data on devices with the same date code but operated at different frequencies shows that the upsets were not consistent with a mechanism of upsets in the input latch only. Also included for comparison are results of upset measurements for three 4K × 1 static RAMs in the proton beam.