Impact of Hydrided and Non-Hydrided Materials Near Transistors on Neutron-Induced Single Event Upsets

The impacts of hydrided and non-hydrided materials near transistors on neutron-induced single event upsets (SEUs) were investigated by simulating monoenergetic neutron irradiations on 65-nm technology bulk static random access memories. The onset energy of the SEUs induced by H ions depends on the shielding capability, i.e., the material and thickness, of components placed in front of transistors when those components do not contain hydrogen atoms. The shielding capability also influences the initial slope observed in the energy-dependence of SEU cross sections. Taking into account the non-hydrided component attached to memory cells used in the simulation, all experimental data measured at each neutron facility were reproduced well using SEU cross sections obtained by simulation. We also find that the effect of components near transistors on neutron-induced soft error rates is not negligible even for irradiation by white neutrons.