Method of and apparatus for protecting electronic circuit against radiation
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorsHiroshi Kamimura, Motoaki Utamura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic circuit is protected against radiation when the threshold voltage of a semiconductor element included in the electronic circuit is shifted, in a positive direction, to a predetermined upper limit on the basis of the formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element, the number of trapped positive charges in the semiconductor element is controlled so that the threshold voltage is shifted, in a negative direction, to a value less than the predetermined upper limit.
Claims36
An apparatus for protecting an electronic circuit against radiation, comprising means for estimating a threshold voltage change, and means for controlling a threshold voltage to fall in a predetermined range based on an estimation obtained by the estimating means, for controlling the number of trapped positive charges in a semiconductor element, to restrict a change in the positive direction in threshold voltage of the semiconductor element caused by a formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element due to radiation.
An apparatus for protecting an electronic circuit against radiation, comprising means for detecting a threshold voltage change, in a positive direction, and means for controlling the number of trapped positive charges in a semiconductor element by controlling a dose rate of radiation incident on the semiconductor element, to compensate for a change in threshold voltage of the semiconductor element caused by the formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element due to radiation.
An apparatus for protecting an electronic circuit against radiation, comprising means for detecting a temperature of a semiconductor element, means for changing said temperature, and means for controlling the number of trapped positive charges in a semiconductor element by reducing said temperature of the semiconductor element by using the changing means, to compensate for a change in threshold voltage of the semiconductor element caused by the formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element due to radiation.
An apparatus for protecting an electronic circuit against radiation, comprising means for estimating a threshold voltage change, and means for controlling the number of trapped positive charges in a semiconductor element by controlling the dose rate of radiation incident on the semiconductor element and by reducing the temperature of the semiconductor element, to compensate for a change in a threshold voltage of the semiconductor element caused by a formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element due to radiation.
An apparatus for protecting an electronic circuit against radiation, comprising:
- means for detecting that the threshold voltage of a semiconductor element is shifted, in a positive direction, to a predetermined upper limit on the basis of the formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element due to radiation;
- and
- means for controlling the number of trapped positive charges in the semiconductor element, upon detecting the arrival of the threshold voltage to the predetermined upper limit so that the threshold voltage is shifted, in a negative direction, to a value less than the predetermined upper limit.
A method of protecting an electronic circuit against radiation, comprising a step of controlling the number of trapped positive charges in a semiconductor element, to compensate for a change in a threshold voltage of the semiconductor element caused by a formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element due to radiation.
A method of protecting an electronic circuit against radiation, comprising a step of controlling a number of trapped positive charges in a semiconductor element by controlling the dose rate of radiation incident on the semiconductor element, to compensate for a change in a threshold voltage of the semiconductor element caused by a formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element due to radiation.
A method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of:
- detecting a shift in a threshold voltage of a semiconductor element, in a positive direction, to a predetermined upper limit on the basis of a formation of a tap level at an interface within the semiconductor element due to radiation.
A method of protecting an electronic circuit against radiation, comprising a step of controlling the number of trapped positive charges in a semiconductor element by controlling and reducing a temperature of the semiconductor element, to compensate for a change in a threshold voltage of the semiconductor element caused by a formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element due to radiation.
A method of protecting an electronic circuit against radiation, comprising a step of controlling a number of trapped positive charges in a semiconductor element by controlling a dose rate of radiation incident on the semiconductor element and by controlling and reducing the temperature of the semiconductor element, to compensate for a change in a threshold voltage of the semiconductor element caused by a formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element due to radiation.
A method of protecting an electronic circuit against radiation, comprising the steps of:
- detecting that the threshold voltage of a semiconductor element is shifted, in a positive direction, to a predetermined upper limit on the basis of the formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element due to radiation;
- and
- controlling the number of trapped positive charges in the semiconductor element, upon detecting the arrival of the threshold voltage to the predetermined upper limit so that the threshold value is shifted, in a negative direction, to a value less than the predetermined upper limit.
An apparatus for protecting an electronic circuit against radiation, comprising means for estimating a threshold voltage change, and means for restricting the generation of the number of trapped positive charges in a semiconductor element due to radiation, or the reduction of said number of trapped positive charges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.