High‐precision single‐event transient hardened comparator with the sensitive node transient detection feedback latch technique

Abstract

This paper comprehensively perfects the sensitive node transient detection feedback latch (SNTDFL) technique, subsequently conceptualizes an ideal hardening structure for the pre‐amplification stage, and proposes a radiation hardened by design (RHBD) strategy to cope with the severe single‐event transient (SET) effects of high‐precision voltage comparators in a space radiation environment. Analysis and verification results show that the hardening strategy exhibits excellent SET hardening performance, which can not only detect extremely small transient voltage disturbances at sensitive nodes but also effectively resist transient current pulses of various intensities generated by SETs. Compared with an unhardened high‐precision comparator, the proposed one, hardened with a hybrid strategy of SNTDFL and triple modular redundancy (TMR) techniques, can greatly preserve the original electrical properties and remarkably improve the tolerance of SET with little overhead. In addition, the proposed high‐precision comparator significantly reduces static power consumption compared with the one hardened with the TMR technique alone and has a smaller area overhead.