An HVD based error detection and correction of soft errors in semiconductor memories used for space applications

Exposure to electromagnetic radiations (high speed a ray particles) is a prominent problem in all the semiconductor memories of on-board computing unit used for space application. So, in this paper, an error detection and correction method to protect the semiconductor memories against the soft errors is proposed. This method is based on 2-d parities. The parity bits are calculated at the receiver end for each row, column and diagonal in slash and backslash directions in a memory array. The parities are regenerated at the receiver end; the comparison of transmitted and received parity bits detects the error. As soon as the error is detected, the code corrects the detected error. Hamming code is used for error detection and correction. It uses parity codes in each of the four directions (that are horizontal, vertical, forward slash diagonal and backslash diagonal) in a data part. Correction code can correct an error in each row, column, and forward slash diagonal and back slash diagonal. This method is implemented on an FPGA device and it is evaluated for an on-chip RAM of a Virtex device. This method is a promising technique to detect and correct errors in semiconductor memories in presence of large electromagnetic interference and hazards with less computational complexity.