The Effect of Negative Feedback on Single Event Transient Propagation in Digital Circuits

• Published in: IEEE transactions on nuclear science Vol. 53; no. 6; pp. 3285 - 3290
• Main Authors: Narasimham, B., Bhuva, B.L., Holman, W.T., Schrimpf, R.D., Massengill, L.W., Witulski, A.F., Robinson, W.H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.12.2006; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Analytical models; Attenuation; Charge; Combinational circuits; Critical charge; Digital circuits; Error analysis; Feedback; Integrated circuit modeling; Integrated circuit technology; Integrated circuits; Logic circuits; Mathematical analysis; Miller effect; Negative feedback; Pulse circuits; SER; SET; single event; soft error; Soft errors; Space vector pulse width modulation
• ISSN: 0018-9499; 1558-1578
• DOI: 10.1109/TNS.2006.885380

Propagation and attenuation of Single Event Transient (SET) pulses in combinational logic circuits are examined. A Miller feedback mechanism that affects the minimum pulse width needed for SET propagation in combinational logic circuits is identified. Analytical models that are commonly employed to predict the combinational Soft Error Rate (SER) of future integrated circuit (IC) technologies do not include this feedback effect. Inclusion of this effect increases the critical charge required for SET propagation through a combinational logic circuit by more than 30%. This feedback phenomenon reduces the estimated SER, which is sensitive to changes in critical charge, by more than 40%