SDRAM Architecture & Single Event Effects Revealed with Laser

Abstract

This paper describes several methodologies based on a pulsed laser beam to reveal the architecture of a high integrated SDRAM, and the different classes of Single Event Effects that can occur due to cosmic radiations. At cell level, laser is used to reveal an important technological parameter: the lithography process. At memory array level, laser is a powerful tool to retrieve cell physical arrangements, which is essential to know the number of bits that can be involved in a MBU. Finally at device level, laser is used to trigger different categories of Single Event Effects, and specific events like SEFIs and SELs can be precisely located. All these information allow to get an estimation of heavy ion saturated cross section for each events, which is usually difficult to obtain with particle accelerators.