Numerical analysis of alpha-particle-induced soft errors in SOI MOS devices

Alpha-particle-induced soft errors in SOI MOSFETs are examined using a three-dimensional device simulation. A bipolar mechanism induced by the alpha-particle incidence is investigated in detail when an alpha particle penetrates from the drain region toward the source region. In SOI MOSFETs, the drain collected and source injected charges are mainly due to a bipolar mechanism. The bipolar mechanism in SOI MOSFETs is quite different from that which has been so far reported in bulk MOSFETs, and operates with a very small current of less than 1 nA for a very long time of 1 ns to 100 ms. The drain collected and source injected charges are strongly dependent on various device parameters and lifetimes. The results suggest that the bipolar mechanism is a significant cause of soft errors in SOI MOSFETs.<
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