"Electronic components breakdown and disturbance models"

This paper presents new behavioral models of electronic components which are stressed by power pulses. The thermal destruction of bipolar transistors as well as disturbance models for both bipolar and MOS gates are discussed. A study of trends in integrated circuit technology is used to extract the parameters required for the models (such as lithography or doping concentration). These basic models appear to fit published experimental results satisfactorily and they prove to be precise enough to estimate the power needed to disturb or destroy the components under consideration. Finally, predictions up to the year 2000 are given. These illustrate how susceptibility levels of some electronic transistors have evolved and should continue to evolve.