E. W. Blackmore

Statistical Analysis of the Charge Collected in SOI and Bulk Devices Under Heavy lon and Proton Irradiation—Implications for Digital SETs

The statistical transient response of floating body SOI and bulk devices is measured under proton and heavy ion irradiation. The influence of the device architecture is analyzed in detail for several generations of technologies, from 0.25 mum to 70nm. The effects of the measured transients on SET sensitivity are investigated. The amount of collected charge and the shape of the transient currents are shown to have a significant impact on the temporal width of propagating transients. Finally, based on our measured data, the threshold LET and the critical transient width for unattenuated propagation are calculated for both bulk and floating body SOI as a function of technology scaling. We show that the threshold LETs and the critical transient widths for bulk and floating body SOI devices are similar. Body ties can be used to harden SOI ICs to digital SET. However, the primary advantage of SOI technologies, even with a floating body design, mostly lies in shorter transients, at a given ion LET, for SOI technologies than for bulk technologies

Further evidence for the decay K+ ---> pi+ neutrino anti-neutrino

Additional evidence for the rare kaon decay K+ to pi+ neutrino-antineutrino has been found in a new data set with comparable sensitivity to the previously reported result. One new event was observed in the pion momentum region examined, 211<P<229 MeV/c, bringing the total for the combined data set to two. Including all data taken, the backgrounds were estimated to contribute 0.15 pm 0.05 events. The branching ratio is B=1.57^{+1.75}_{-0.82} 10^{-10}.

Further Evidence for the DecayK+→π+νν¯

Additional evidence for the rare kaon decay K+ to pi+ neutrino-antineutrino has been found in a new data set with comparable sensitivity to the previously reported result. One new event was observed in the pion momentum region examined, 211<P<229 MeV/c, bringing the total for the combined data set to two. Including all data taken, the backgrounds were estimated to contribute 0.15 pm 0.05 events. The branching ratio is B=1.57^{+1.75}_{-0.82} 10^{-10}.

Comparison of charge yield in MOS devices for different radiation sources

NMOS transistors were irradiated using X-ray, Co-60 gamma, electron, and proton radiation sources. The charge yield was estimated for protons of different energies and electrons and compared to values obtained for X-ray and Co-60 irradiations.

Effects of particle energy on proton-induced single-event latchup

The effect of proton energy on single-event latchup (SEL) in present-day SRAMs is investigated over a wide range of proton energies and temperature. SRAMs from five different vendors were irradiated at proton energies from 20 to 500 MeV and at temperatures of 25/spl deg/ and 85/spl deg/C. For the SRAMs and radiation conditions examined in this work, proton energy SEL thresholds varied from as low as 20 MeV to as high as 490MeV. To gain insight into the observed effects, the heavy-ion SEL linear energy transfer (LET) thresholds of the SRAMs were measured and compared to high-energy transport calculations of proton interactions with different materials. For some SRAMs that showed proton-induced SEL, the heavy-ion SEL threshold LET was as high as 25MeV-cm/sup 2//mg. Proton interactions with Si cannot generate nuclear recoils with LETs this large. Our nuclear scattering calculations suggest that the nuclear recoils are generated by proton interactions with tungsten. Tungsten plugs are commonly used in most high-density ICs fabricated today, including SRAMs. These results demonstrate that for system applications where latchups cannot be tolerated, SEL hardness assurance testing should be performed at a proton energy at least as high as the highest proton energy present in the system environment. Moreover, the best procedure to ensure that ICs will be latchup free in proton environments may be to use a heavy-ion source with LETs /spl ges/40 MeV-cm/sup 2//mg.

Evidence for the decay K+ ---> pi+ neutrino anti-neutrino

An event consistent with the signature expected for the rare kaon decay K+ --> pi+ nu anti-nu has been observed. In the pion momentum region examined, 211 pi+ nu anti-nu, the branching ratio is (4.2 +9.7/-3.5) x E-10.

Improved measurement of the K+ ---> pi+ nu anti-nu branching ratio

An additional event near the upper kinematic limit for K+ to pi+ nu nubar has been observed by Experiment E949 at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Combining previously reported and new data, the branching ratio is B(K+ to pi+ nu nubar)= 1.47 (+1.30, - 0.89) x 10-10 based on three events observed in the pion momentum region 211<P<229 MeV/c. At the measured central value of the branching ratio, the additional event had a signal-to-background ratio of 0.9.

New measurement of the K+-->pi+ nunu branching ratio.

A.V. Artamonov, B. Bassalleck, B. Bhuyan, ∗ E.W. Blackmore, D.A. Bryman, S. Chen, 4 I-H. Chiang, I.-A. Christidi, † P.S. Cooper, M.V. Diwan, J.S. Frank, T. Fujiwara, J. Hu, J. Ives, D.E. Jaffe, S. Kabe, S.H. Kettell, M.M. Khabibullin, A.N. Khotjantsev, P. Kitching, M. Kobayashi, T.K. Komatsubara, A. Konaka, A.P. Kozhevnikov, Yu.G. Kudenko, A. Kushnirenko, ‡ L.G. Landsberg, § B. Lewis, K.K. Li, L.S. Littenberg, J.A. Macdonald, § J. Mildenberger, O.V. Mineev, M. Miyajima, K. Mizouchi, V.A. Mukhin, N. Muramatsu, T. Nakano, M. Nomachi, T. Nomura, T. Numao, V.F. Obraztsov, K. Omata, D.I. Patalakha, S.V. Petrenko, R. Poutissou, E.J. Ramberg, G. Redlinger, T. Sato, T. Sekiguchi, T. Shinkawa, R.C. Strand, S. Sugimoto, Y. Tamagawa, R. Tschirhart, T. Tsunemi, ¶ D.V. Vavilov, B. Viren, Zhe Wang, 3 N.V. Yershov, Y. Yoshimura, and T. Yoshioka

Study of the decay K+→π+νν̄ in the momentum region 140<Pπ<199MeV/c

Experiment E949 at Brookhaven National Laboratory has observed three new events consistent with the decay K+ => pi+,nu,nubar in the pion momentum region 140 pi+,nu,nubar events to seven. Combining this observation with previous results, assuming the pion spectrum predicted by the standard model, results in a branching ratio of (1.73+1.15-1.05)e-10. An interpretation of the results for alternative models of the decay K^ => pi+,nothing is also presented.

Effects of Angle of Incidence on Proton and Neutron-Induced Single-Event Latchup

The effect of proton angle of incidence on proton-induced single-event latchup (SEL) is investigated in detail at room and elevated temperatures in present-day SRAMs. SRAMs from seven different vendors were irradiated at proton energies from 50 to 200 MeV, at temperatures of 25 degC and 75 degC, and at angles of incidence from 0deg (normal) to 85deg (grazing). The effects of angle of incidence were also investigated for neutron-induced SEL. The angle of incidence can significantly impact SEL hardness. For one SRAM at a temperature of 75 degC, characterizing SEL cross section at grazing angle resulted in a 16 times increase in SEL cross section. Large increases in SEL cross section with angle were also observed for other SRAMs characterized at room temperature. These increases in SEL cross section with angle of incidence are much larger than those measured previously for older SRAM technologies. The mechanism for the effect of angle of incidence on SEL cross section is not due simply to the deposition of more energy in the sensitive volume caused by an increase in path length as the angle of incidence is increased. To investigate possible mechanisms nuclear scattering calculations were performed and combined with device simulations. Simulation results suggest that the mechanism is a consequence of the linear energy transfer (LET) and range distributions of secondary ions produced by proton-material (or neutron-material) interactions coupled with an increase in SEL sensitivity (decrease in LET threshold) as angle of incidence is increased. These results have significant impact on SEL hardness assurance testing, especially for system applications where latchups cannot be tolerated. To best ensure that SEL hardness requirement are met, SRAMs should be characterized at both grazing and normal angles of incidence, and at maximum temperature, voltage, and proton energy