Sensitivity Characterization of a COTS 90-nm SRAM at Ultra Low Bias Voltage

Abstract

This paper presents the characterization of the sensitivity to 14-MeV neutrons of a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) 90-nm Static Random Access Memories (SRAMs) manufactured by Cypress Semiconductor, when biased at ultra low voltage. Firstly, experiments exposing this memory at 14-MeV neutrons, when powering it up at bias voltages ranging from 0.5V to 3.3V, are presented and discussed. These results are in good concordance with theoretical predictions issued by the modeling tool MUSCA-SEP 3 (MUlti-SCAles Single Event Phenomena Predictive Platform). Then, this tool has been used to obtain Soft Error Rate (SER) predictions at different altitudes above the Earth’s surface of this device vs. its bias voltage. Finally, the effect of contamination by α articles has also been estimated at said range of bias Voltages.