发明名称 |
Method and apparatus for determining the robustness of memory cells to induced soft errors using equivalent diodes |
摘要 |
Apparatus and methods for determining the robustness of a device to soft errors generated by alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strikes by measuring the charge Qc that flow through a node of an equivalent diode structure when the diode structure is impinged by a light pulse with energy equivalent to that of the alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strikes. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of producing a light pulse having a light pulse energy, the light pulse energy is at a first light pulse energy; applying the light pulse to the device at a predetermined location, the predetermined location having an area and a geometry; varying the light pulse energy to a second light pulse energy which generates a soft error; detecting soft errors in the device; providing a diode having the same area and geometry as the predetermined location; applying the light pulse with the second light pulse energy to the diode; and determining the amount of charges that flow through the diode. The present invention additionally provides inexpensive methods and apparatus that would accurately simulate an alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strike in a predetermined area of a memory cell and for comparing different technologies and SRAM/DRAM designs by comparing this pulse energy needed to produce the soft error. |
申请公布号 |
US5982691(A) |
申请公布日期 |
1999.11.09 |
申请号 |
US19980164412 |
申请日期 |
1998.09.30 |
申请人 |
ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC. |
发明人 |
SHABDE, SUNIL NARAYAN;WOLLESEN, DONALD L. |
分类号 |
G11C29/02;G11C29/50;(IPC1-7):G11C11/40 |
主分类号 |
G11C29/02 |
代理机构 |
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代理人 |
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主权项 |
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地址 |
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