Characteristics of GaAs buffered FET logic (BFL) MESFETs and inverters exposed to high-energy neutrons

• Published in: IEEE transactions on nuclear science Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 20 - 24
• Main Authors: Rosenbluth, M., Bloss, W.L., Yamada, W.E., Janousek, B.K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.02.1991; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: 440104 - Radiation Instrumentation- High Energy Physics Instrumentation; Applied sciences; ARSENIC COMPOUNDS; ARSENIDES; BARYONS; BUFFERS; DAMAGING NEUTRON FLUENCE; Degradation; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT; ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS; ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT; Electronics; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; ELEMENTS; ENERGY; ENERGY RANGE; Exact sciences and technology; FERMIONS; FETs; FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS; Gallium arsenide; GALLIUM ARSENIDES; GALLIUM COMPOUNDS; HADRONS; INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; Integrated circuits; INVERTERS; LOGIC CIRCUITS; Logic gates; MESFETs; METALS; NEUTRON FLUENCE; NEUTRONS; NUCLEONS; OSCILLATORS; PNICTIDES; Ring oscillators; SATURATION; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; SIMULATION; THRESHOLD ENERGY; Threshold voltage; Transconductance; TRANSISTORS; Logic circuit; Degradation; Gallium Arsenides; Measurement; Field effect transistor; Electrical properties; Simulation; Semiconductor metal contact; Performance characteristic; Integrated circuit; Neutron irradiation; Modeling
• ISSN: 0018-9499; 1558-1578
• DOI: 10.1109/23.64632

A systematic investigation of the effects of high-energy neutrons on GaAs metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFETs) and buffered FET logic (BFL) gates has been carried out. Discrete transistors, inverters, and ring oscillators were characterized and modeled as a function of neutron fluence. Measurements were made of the threshold voltage shifts, the transconductance degradation, and saturation current degradation of GaAs depletion mode MESFETs, which comprise the BFL logic gates, irradiated with neutron fluences ranging from 5*10/sup 13/ n/cm/sup 2/ to 2*10/sup 15/ n/cm/sup 2/ (for particle energies above 10 keV). The threshold voltage was found to shift positively by 0.45 V, the transconductance decreased to 3%, and the saturation current to 1% of their unirradiated values at the highest neutron fluence (2*10/sup 15/ n/cm/sup 2/). The BFL inverter characteristics were measured and successfully simulated with SPICE using device parameters extracted from the neutron-damaged FETs. Ring oscillator measurements were made to determine the effects of high-energy neutrons on the frequency performance of BFL circuits. The ring oscillator frequency decreased to 9% of its unirradiated value at the highest neutron fluence.< >