Proton tolerance of multiple-threshold voltage and multiple-breakdown voltage CMOS device design points in a 0.18 μm system-on-a-chip CMOS technology

The paper presents the results of an investigation of the proton tolerance of the multiple-threshold voltage and multiple-breakdown voltage device design points contained in a 0.18 μm system-on-a-chip CMOS technology. The radiation response of the CMOS devices having three different device design configurations are characterized and compared for equivalent gamma doses up to 300 krad(Si), using the threshold voltage, off-state leakage, and effective mobility to assess the dc performance. All three CMOS device configurations show a very slight degradation of threshold voltage and effective mobility with increasing dose. We also present for the first time the frequency response and S-parameters of these RF CMOS devices under proton radiation. The S-parameters and cut-off frequency show little degradation up to 300 krad(Si) total dose. These results suggest that the CMOS devices in this 0.18 μm SoC CMOS technology are well-suited for RF circuit applications in an ionizing radiation environment without intentional total-dose hardening.