Measuring and Modeling Single Event Transients in 12-nm Inverters

In this article, we present a unique method of measuring single-event transient (SET) sensitivity in 12-nm FinFET technology. A test structure is presented that approximately measures the length of SETs using flip-flop shift registers with clock inputs driven by an inverter chain. The test structure was irradiated with ions at linear energy transfers (LETs) of 4.0, 5.6, 10.4, and 17.9 MeV-cm2/mg, and the cross sections of SET pulses measured down to 12.7 ps are presented. The experimental results are interpreted using a modeling methodology that combines TCAD and radiation effect simulations to capture the SET physics, and SPICE simulations to model the SETs in a circuit. The modeling shows that only ion strikes on the fin structure of the transistor would result in enough charge collected to produce SETs, while strikes in the subfin and substrate do not result in enough charge collected to produce measurable transients. Comparisons of the cumulative cross sections obtained from the experiment and from the simulations validate the modeling methodology presented.