Heavy ion microbeam studies of diffusion time resolved charge collection from p-n junctions.

The knowledge of (diffusion, drift, and funneling assisted) charge collection within electronic devices is essential to design radiation hardened Integrated Circuits (ICs). In the present work, diffusion time resolved charge collection studies were performed on stripe-like junctions using 12 MeV carbon and 28 MeV silicon microbeams and MEDICI simulation calculations. The relative average arrival time of the diffused charge on the junctions was measured along with the amount of charge collection by the junctions. The average arrival time of the diffused charge is related to the first moment (or the average time) of the arrival carrier density on the junction. The experimental results and MEDICI (a 2D-device simulator) calculations support this interpretation. These results show the importance of the diffusive charge collection by junctions, which is especially significant in accounting for Single Event Upsets (SEUs) and Multiple Bit Upset (MBUs) in digital devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]