Proton-induced failures in high-power field-effect transistors

The effect of 1000-MeV protons on high-power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) manufactured using microelectronic technology has been studied. It is established that high-energy proton bombardment leads to breakdown of the gate insulator (oxide) in the MOSFET structure that results in a “catastrophic” failure of the device. A model explaining the appearance of these failures is proposed that is based on the formation of fast residual particles as a result of nuclear reactions between high-energy protons and nuclei of the semiconductor material.