Simulation of Bipolar Transistor Degradation at Various Dose Rates and Electrical Modes for High Dose Conditions

Radiation response of bipolar devices irradiated under various electrical modes and dose rates at high doses has been studied. A nonlinear numerical model including ELDRS effects and electric field reduction at high doses has been developed and validated. Dose degradation of a bipolar transistor's gain factor at different dose rates and electrical modes has been simulated and explained in a unified way, based on dependence of the charge yield in isolation oxides on dose rates and electric fields. It has been shown that at high doses one needs to use a nonlinear, self-consistent numerical approach, accounting for simultaneous suppression of the oxide electric field induced by trapped charge. Correspondingly, two types of degradation saturation have been revealed: (i) due to simultaneous thermal annealing, and (ii) due to total dose dependent electric field reduction in oxides. The former implies proportionality of the saturation dose and degradation level to dose rate, the latter permits dose rate independent saturation levels of degradation.