N.V. Astakhov1, A.V. Bashkirov2, O.Yu. Makarov3, A.S. Demikhova4

1-4 Voronezh State Technical University (Voronezh, Russia)

Formulation of the problem. In this paper, the problem of radiation stability of subthreshold reference circuits for space radio electronics is considered. The correctness of the conclusions made in this master's thesis is confirmed by the results of modeling measurements of the total dose of ionization and single effects caused by gamma rays, X-rays, protons and heavy ions (silicon, krypton and xenon). Modeling of a high total radiation dose from various sources was used to evaluate the proposed topologies for a wide range of applications operating in harsh conditions similar to the space environment. The simulation was carried out in the MATLAB Simulink environment. Experimental data for modeling were taken on the website of the Center for Radiation Effects (RADEF) (University of Jyvaskyl, Finland). The proposed developed integrated circuits use only CMOS transistors operating in the subthreshold mode and polysilicon resistors without the use of any external components, such as compensation capacitors. The circuits have radiation resistance according to the standard (RHBD).

Purpose. it is reasonable to show that radiation-resistant microelectronics operating in subthreshold mode can significantly reduce the weight of the payload and the cost of space flights by reducing energy consumption.

Results. when comparing the effects caused by radiation between subthreshold and strong inversion circuits, the main difference lies in the dependence of the drain current on the threshold voltage shift. This dependence is exponential in subthreshold chains, in contrast to the quadratic dependence in chains with strong inversion. This is the main disadvantage of subthreshold circuits when operating in a radiation environment, however, this disadvantage is rapidly decreasing in deep submicron semiconductor technologies, where the shift of the threshold voltage under the action of radiation decreases with a decrease in the thickness of the oxide. When comparing the effects caused by radiation between subthreshold and inversion circuits, the main difference is in the supply voltage. The thickness of the gate oxide and the supply voltage affect the amount of energy required to change the normal operating conditions of the transistor. Consequently, the lower supply voltage of the subthreshold circuits will require less charge and, consequently, less energy from the incident ion to change its nominal state, which makes them more vulnerable compared to inversion circuits. On the other hand, the advantage of low-voltage operation of subthreshold circuits is a smaller electric field at the p-n junctions, which reduces the number of separated pairs, as well as the charge collected in the affected node.

Practical significance. Полученные результаты могут использоваться при проектировании радиационно-стойкой микроэлектроники, работающей в подпороговом режиме, что позволяет значительно сократить вес полезной нагрузки и стоимость космических полетов за счет снижения энергопотребления.

Astakhov N.V., Bashkirov A.V., Makarov O.Yu., Demikhova A.S. The problem of radiation stability of subthreshold reference circuits for space radio electronics. Radiotekhnika. 2022. V. 86. № 7. P. 10−13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18127/j00338486-202207-02
(In Russian)

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