Journal of Space Science and Technology

Journal of Space Science and Technology

A Simulation Study of Single Event Burnout (SEB) in a High-Voltage Pin Diode

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Author
Ph. D. Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Tehran. Iran
Abstract
Exposure to ionizing radiation in space can potentially destroy electronic devices due to single-event effects (SEEs). Developing modern space technology requires high-voltage devices to supply the increased electric power demand. A widely recognized problem for power electronic devices in space is Single Event Burnout (SEB), which is a destructive form of SEE. SEB is a catastrophic failure in a high-voltage device initiated by the passage of high-energy particles during the device's OFF state (reverse bias). Consequently, these devices may lose their performance in space applications.This research investigates the occurrence of SEB in a high-voltage PiN diode through simulation using the Silvaco TCAD tool. The necessity of this investigation stems from the increased use of high-voltage components in spacecraft. To achieve this, a PiN diode with a breakdown voltage of 3.3 kV was simulated in the Silvaco TCAD tool, considering the appropriate physical models. Subsequently, the diode's characteristic curve was obtained.In the next step, an incident beam with varying values of Linear Energy Transfer (LET) related to carbon ions was irradiated onto the diode. The variations in carrier concentration, current, and electric field were studied. The results indicate that when ions strike the diode, the electric field increases up to five times, and the concentration of carriers rises significantly, leading to a sharp increase in device current and a temperature rise to 1800 K, beyond the melting point of silicon. This condition suggests failure due to burnout from local heating caused by the multiplication of ion-generated carriers in the simulated PiN diode, which is consistent with earlier research experiments. Based on these results, the capability of the Silvaco tool in simulating SEB has been confirmed.
Keywords
Subjects

Article Title Persian

بررسی رخداد سوختن تک‌حادثه‌ای (SEB) در یک دیود پین ولتاژ- بالا به کمک شبیه‌سازی

Author Persian

معصومه سلیمانی نیا
دکتری ، پژوهشگاه علوم و فنون هسته ای، سازمان انرژی اتمی ایران، تهران، ایران
Abstract Persian

به‌کارگیری قطعات الکترونیک در فضا، پتانسیل تخریب آن­ها را به دلیل وقوع رخدادهای تک­حادثه­ای (SEE) به دنبال خواهد داشت که دسته­بندی­های متعددی برای آن وجود دارد. یکی از این دسته‌بندی­ها که به‌طورگسترده بر عملکرد قطعات ولتاژ- بالا در کاربردهای فضایی تأثیر می­گذارد، رخداد سوختن تک‌حادثه­ای (SEB) است که با عبور ذرات پرانرژی از این قطعات در وضعیت بایاس معکوس روی می­دهد و سبب از بین رفتن عملکرد صحیح و در نهایت، سوختن آن­ها می­شود. در این پژوهش، وقوع رخداد SEB در یک دیود PiN ولتاژ - بالا به کمک شبیه­سازی با استفاده از نرم­افزارSilvaco TCAD مورد بررسی قرار گرفته است. ضرورت این بررسی، به واسطه استفاده روزافزون قطعات ولتاژ-بالا در سامانه­های فضایی ایجاب شده است. برای این منظور در ابتدا، ساختار یک دیود پین با ولتاژ شکست 3/3 کیلوولت به کمک مدل­های فیزیکی مناسب در نرم­افزار، شبیه­سازی و منحنی مشخصه آن به‌دست آورده شد. در این پژوهش، یون­های کربن به عنوان یکی از یون­های موجود در فضا انتخاب شدند. در گام بعد، یون­های فرودی کربن با مقادیر مختلف LET به آن تابانیده و تغییرات ایجاد شده در غلظت حامل­ها، همچنین جریان و میدان الکتریکی مورد بررسی قرار گرفت. نتایج نشان دادند پس از برخورد یو­ن­ها، میدان الکتریکی به شکل موضعی تا 5 برابر افزایش یافته و غلظت حامل­ها زیاد می­شود که منجر به افزایش شدید جریان و نیز افزایش دما تا 1800 درجه کلوین (فراتر از نقطه ذوب سیلیکون) می­گردد. این شرایط نشان­دهنده از کارافتادگی و سوختن دائمی دیود در نتیجه ایجاد گرمایش موضعی است که به واسطه تکثیر بسیار زیاد حامل­ها در میدان الکتریکی بالای درون قطعه به وجود آمده است. نتیجه حاصل، با آزمون­های تجربی که پیشتر توسط محققان انجام شده بود، مطابقت دارد. بدین ترتیب، توانمندی نرم­افزار Silvaco برای شبیه‌سازی رخداد SEB مورد تأیید قرار می­گیرد.

Keywords Persian

دیود پین
انتقال خطی انرژی
رخداد سوختن تک‌حادثه‌ای (SEB)
Silvaco TCAD
SRIM
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Volume 17, Issue 3
2024
Pages 71-82

  • Receive Date 03 April 2024
  • Revise Date 08 June 2024
  • Accept Date 10 June 2024
  • First Publish Date 23 June 2024