METHOD FOR CHARACTERIZING THE SENSITIVITY OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS TO DESTRUCTIVE MECHANISMS

摘要

A method for characterizing the sensitivity of an electronic component with respect to a natural radiating environment. The safe operating area (SOA) voltage range beyond which destructive events occur is determined for the electronic component for given characteristics of a particle or incident beam. The electronic component is turned on and energized with the particle or incident beam having the given characteristics under the operating conditions that are close to the highest voltage value of the determined SOA voltage range. An efficient section of amplified transient events, which corresponds to an estimation of the destructive occurrences for the electronic component is determined. The characteristics of the particle or beam is modified and the method is repeated with the modified characteristics.