Non-destructive Measurements of Single Events Induced on Power

MOSFET’s by Terrestrial Neutrons

Nicolo Marchese, Jose Brito del Pino, Raffaele Giuseppe Agostino, Raffaele Filosa, Vicenzo
Formoso, Calogero Pace, Elio Angelo Tomarchio

Abstract—X-ray microtomography has been employed for non-destructive measurements on Power

MOSFET's with the aim to investigate the damage due to “Single Events Effects (SEEs)” induced by high
energy neutrons in accelerated tests. The technique allowed to investigate the spatial structure of
damages induced by neutrons. The results show that the technique and the methodologies employed to
investigate SEEs in electronic devices could represent a suitable non-destructive investigation tool for the
post-failure analysis.

We performed two tests, the first test was used 15 Power MOSFET’s, 7 with neutron radiation and 8 fresh
devices. The second test consisted of put on neutron radiation the 8 fresh devices from the first test. The
appropriate geometry and acquisition parameters for µ-CT (micro computed tomography) have been
developed with the aim to evidence SEEs occurred in the neutron-irradiated devices.
The SEB is evidence in µ -CT when the high current density in presence of large drain-to-source voltage
produces a current trace with effects into the solder layer leaving a depletion zone and producing a fusion
on any theirs the corners or near theirs in form of protrusion into silicon epitaxial layer in alignment with
the tab source near to p-base region of a discrete transistor.
The SEGR is evidence for µ -CT when are separated radially the electrons to drain and holes to the oxide
gate along the neutron track are separate under influence of drain bias induce a charge on the gate
electrode, leading to a transient increase of the electric field in the gate dielectric, producing a parasitic
current trace with effects into solder layer, creating a fusion on its center leaving a depletion zone and
generating a protrusion into silicon epitaxial layer in alignment with the center of the gate in corresponds
to a discrete transistor.
For another hand the sensitivity in SEGR increases when the neutron trace is nearer to the center of gate
resulting in a protrusion with more density and increasing of depletion zone on lead solder layer.
However, the microtomography is a technique which permits to see the form and size on a micro level of
SEB and SEGR on lead solder layer located on lower the silicon bulk and over the metallic drain, these SEEs
had a different size and density which are proportional to BJT parasitic current.
The second test µ -CT in fresh of Power MOSFET’s confirm
the first µ -CT SEEs test. The second test only evidence SEB with low density, due to a weak secondary
effect of parasitic current on lead solder layer for producing the SEEs on the Power MOSFET.
The investigation performed on Power MOSFET’s with the aim to study the SEEs demonstrate the power
of the microtomography technique in this field of application. Nondestructive techniques as the X-ray
micro-tomography described above allow investigated the structure of a sample without the necessity to
use chemical or mechanical procedures.
This work demonstrates that the µ -CT demonstrates could be employed in industrial applications as the
post-failure analysis and the characterization of the constructive process. Therefore, the information
obtained with this technique represents a good guide to designing innovative devices, more reliable about
the environmental effects to improve the industrial process and the construction quality of the devices.