Circuit-level model for single-event burnout in N-channel power MOSFET's

Single Event Burnout (SEB) of power MOSFET's is a catastrophic failure mechanism that is initiated by the passage of a heavy ion through the device. In this paper, an SEB circuit model of the power MOSFET has been developed. The calibrations of model parameters are illustrated. The dependence of SEB sensitivity on various parameters is presented and compared with experimental results. The parasitic resistance and capacitance of the device as well as the circuit parameters contribute to the length of SEB pulse. Increasing the switching frequency of the power MOSFET may be a possible way to prevent SEB in applications.