Work

Radiation-Hardened Design and Experimental Validation Using a Mixed-Stage Model for Reliability Assessment of Integrated Circuits in Radiation Environments

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: With advances in space, nuclear, and defense industries, the susceptibility of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) to radiation has increased. Radiation-induced degradation and malfunctioning of IC performance can lead to system failure, leading to significant damage. To address this limitation, this study employed mixed-stage modeling and simulation (M&S) techniques to evaluate the reliability of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor application-specific ICs (ASICs) in radiation environments. Radiation-hardened IC chips were designed and fabricated using layout modification techniques based on M&S. The ASIC, which includes the D-latch and Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp) circuits, was validated for resistance up to a total ionizing dose of 20 kGy(Si). The proposed radiation-hardened ICs demonstrated stable performance even in radiation-exposed environments, ensuring reliable operation under such conditions. The findings provide insights into overcoming radiation-induced degradation and malfunction in semiconductor integrated circuits, which is particularly relevant for advancing space, nuclear, and defense industries.

Source: Electronics

DOI: 10.3390/electronics14071296

Authors: Minwoong Lee, Namho Lee, Donghan Ki, Seongik Cho

Institutions: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University

Language: English

Topic: Radiation Effects in Electronics

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896