On the role of energy deposition in triggering SEGR in power MOSFETs

Single event gate rupture (SEGR) was studied using three types of power MOSFET devices with ions having incident linear energy transfers (LETs) in silicon from 26 to 82 MeV/spl middot/cm/sup 2//mg. Results are: (1) consistent with Wrobel's oxide breakdown for V/sub DS/=0 volts (for both normal incidence and angle); and (2) when V/sub GS/=0 volts, energy deposited near the Si/SiO/sub 2/ interface is more important than the energy deposited deeper in the epi.