Factors impacting the temperature dependence of soft errors in commercial SRAMs

Abstract

We performed neutron and alpha-particle irradiation to reproduce the effects of the terrestrial environment on several commercial SRAMs manufactured by different vendors. We observed that, depending on the tested vendor, the number of errors either increases or slightly decreases for rising temperature, even in devices belonging to the same technology node. SPICE simulations were then used to investigate the temperature dependence of parameters like the feedback time and restoring current of the cell. The shape and magnitude of the particle-induced transient current was discussed as a function of temperature. The variability in the temperature response was attributed to the balance of contrasting factors, such as cell slowing down and increased diffusion collection with increasing temperature.