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US 8,896,978 B2Granted
Integrated circuit with automatic deactivation upon exceeding a specific ion linear energy transfer (LET) value
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorRobert Christopher Baumann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Integrated circuits as well as fabrication and operating methods are presented in which user circuitry of the IC is selectively disabled in response to detection of a single event latchup condition in a sensing circuit that is prone to latchup in response to ionic radiation at a specific linear energy transfer level.
Claims20
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- at least one sensing circuit sensitive only to a single event latchup SEL in response to exposure to ionic radiation of the integrated circuit at a predetermined linear energy transfer level LET, wherein the exposure detection circuit is configured for detection of specific level of ion linear energy transfer LET by adjusting the tap density of the substrate, the temperature of the exposure detection circuit, the substrate resistance, substrate doping or any combination thereof;
- an exposure detection circuit operative to sense the occurrence of a single event latchup SEL condition induced by an ion of a specific and predetermined LET in the at least one sensing circuit, providing an output signal in response to detection of the single event latchup SEL condition in the at least one sensing circuit;
- and
- a deactivation circuit receiving the output signal from the exposure detection circuit and operative to selectively disable operation of a user circuit of the integrated circuit responsive to the output signal from the exposure detection circuit.
1 more element
A method for operating an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
- detecting a single event latchup condition in at least one sensing circuit of the integrated circuit induced by an ion of a specific and predetermined LET, wherein the sensing circuit is configured for detection of specific level of ion SEL by adjusting the tap density of the substrate, the temperature of the exposure detection circuit, the substrate resistance, substrate doping or any combination thereof;
- and
- automatically disabling operation of a user circuit of the integrated circuit responsive to detection of the single event latchup condition in the at least one sensing circuit.
A method of forming an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
- forming at least one user circuit in at least one substrate;
- forming at least one sensing circuit in the at least one substrate, the at least one sensing circuit being sensitive to single event latchup in response to a single exposure to ionic radiation of the integrated circuit at a predetermined linear energy transfer level LET, wherein the sensing circuit is configured for detection of specific level of ion LET by adjusting the tap density of the substrate, the temperature of the exposure detection circuit, the substrate resistance, substrate doping or any combination thereof;
- forming an exposure detection circuit in the at least one substrate, the exposure detection circuit operative to sense a single event latchup condition in the at least one sensing circuit, and to provide an output signal in response to detection of a single event latchup condition in the at least one sensing circuit;
- and
- forming a deactivation circuit in the at least one substrate, the deactivation circuit coupled to receive the output signal from the exposure detection circuit and operative to selectively disable operation of the at least one user circuit responsive to the output signal from the exposure detection circuit.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.