Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of electron radiation on commercial power MOSFET with buck converter application

  • Published:
Nuclear Science and Techniques Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Microelectronic power converters such as buck and boost converter are required to be tolerant to radiations including electron radiation. This paper examines electron radiation effects on the I–V characteristics of VDMOSFET and its corresponding effects in buck converter. Analysis of the electrical characteristics shows that after irradiation the threshold voltage and drain current for all VDMOSFETs degraded more than two orders of magnitude. The impact of this electrical degradation has been investigated in an application of typical buck converter circuit. The buck converter with n-channel switching transistor shows that after irradiation its output voltage increased with the drain current in the n-channel ZVN4424A VDMOSFET, while the buck converter with p-channel switching transistor shows its output voltage decreased with the drain current in the p-channel ZVP4424A VDMOSFET after irradiation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. B.J. Baliga, Modern Power Devices (Wiley, New Jersy, 1987), pp. 404–452

    Google Scholar 

  2. M.M. Oo, N.K.B.A.M. Rashid, J.B.A. Karim et al., Electrical characterization of commercial NPN bipolar junction transistors under neutron and gamma irradiation. Nucl. Technol. Radiat. 29, 46–52 (2014). doi:10.2298/NTRP1401046O

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. D.A. Fauzi, N.K.A. Md Rashid, M.R. Mohamed Zin et al., Neutron radiation effects on the electrical characteristics of InAs/GaAs quantum dot-in-a- well structures. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 62, 3324–3329 (2015). doi:10.1109/TNS.2015.2478450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. J.L. Titus, C.F. Wheatley, M. Allenspach et al., Influence of ion beam energy on SEGR failure thresholds of vertical power MOSFETs. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 43, 2938–2943 (1996). doi:10.1109/23.556889

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. S.G. Cappello, C. Parlato, A. Rizzo et al., Gamma-ray irradiation tests of CMOS sensors used in imaging techniques. Nucl. Technol. Radiat. Prot. 29, S14–S19 (2014). doi:10.2298/NTRP140SS14C

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. A. Cester, S. Gerardin, A. Paccagnella et al., Drain current decrease in MOSFETs after heavy ion irradiation. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 51, 3150–3157 (2004). doi:10.1109/TNS.2004.839203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. M.M. Pejović, S.M. Pejović, D. Stojanov et al., Sensitivity of RADFET for gamma and X-ray doses used in medicine. Nucl. Technol. Radiat. 29, 179–185 (2014). doi:10.2298/NTRP1403179P

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. J.A. Felix, M.R. Shaneyfelt, P.E. Dodd et al., Radiation-induced off-state leakage current in commercial power MOSFETs. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 52, 2378–2386 (2005). doi:10.1109/TNS.2005.860724

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. T.S. Kevkić, M.T. Odalović, D.M. Petković, A Stochstic model of gamma-ray induced oxide charge distribution and threshold voltage shift of MOS transistors. Nucl. Technol. Radiat. 27, 33–39 (2012). doi:10.2298/NTRP1201033K

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. D.V. Boychenko, L.N. Kessarinkiy, A.Y. Nikiforov, Investigation of low dose rate effects in DC/DC converters. In 14th European Conference on Radiation and Its Effects on Components and System (RADECS), 2013, 1–3. Doi:10.1109/RADECS.2013.6937395

  11. P.J. McWhorter, P.S. Winokur, R.A. Pastorek, Donor/acceptor nature of radiation-induced interface traps. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 35, 1154–1159 (1998). doi:10.1109/23.25433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. G. Prakash, P. Ganesh, Y.N. Nagesha et al., Effect of 30 Mev Li 3+ ion and 8 MeV electron irradiation on n-channel MOSFETs. Radiat. Eff. Defects Solids 157, 323–331 (2002). doi:10.1080/10420150213002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. M.M. Pejovic, M.M. Pejović, A.B. Jakšić et al., Successive gamma-ray irradiation and corresponding post-irradiation annealing of PMOS dosimeters. Nucl. Technol. Radiat. 27, 341–345 (2012). doi:10.2298/NTRP1204341P

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. G.S. Ristic, Defect behaviors during high electric field stress of p-channel power MOSFETs. IEEE Trans. Device Mater. Reliab. 12, 94–100 (2012). doi:10.1109/TDMR.2011.2168399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Y. He, Y. En, H. Luo, et al., The irradiation effect and failure analysis of DC-DC power converter, In 16th IEEE International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, Suzhou, Jiangsu 2009, pp. 385–387, Doi:10.1109/IPFA.2009.5232625

  16. A. Cester, S. Gerardin, A. Paccagnella et al., Drain current decrease in MOSFETs after heavy ion irradiation. IEEE Transaction on Nuclear Science 51, 3150–3157 (2004). doi:10.1109/TNS.2004.839203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. A.H. Johnston, T.F. Miyahira, Radiation damage in power MOSFET optocouplers. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 54, 1104–1109 (2007). doi:10.1109/TNS.2007.903172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. J.P. Colinge, V.S. Lysenko, A. Nazarov, Physical and Technical Problems of SOI Structures and Devices (Springer, Dordrecht, 1995), pp. 133–180

    Book  Google Scholar 

  19. P.C. Adell, R.D. Schrimpf, B.K. Choi et al., Total-dose and single-event effects in switching DC/DC power converters. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 49, 3217–3221 (2002). doi:10.1109/TNS.2002.805425

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. D. France, G. Charitat, P. Dupuy, et al. Clamped inductive switching of LDMOST for smart power IC’s, In Proceedings of the 10th International Symposium, in Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, Kyoto, 1998, 359–362, Doi:10.1109/ISPSD.1998.702715

  21. V.L. Paul, M. Jules, High performance Ka-band frequency down converter for deep space application (European Space Agency’s Operation Center, Darmstadt, 2004)

    Google Scholar 

  22. P. Habas, Z. Prijic, D. Pantic et al., Charge-pumping characterization of SiO2/Si interface in virgin and irradiated power VDMOSFETs. IEEE Trans. Elect. Devices 43, 2197–2209 (1996). doi:10.1109/16.544392

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sheik Fareed Ookar Abubakkar.

Additional information

The work is funded by International Islamic University Malaysia (No. EDW B14-159-1044).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Abubakkar, S.F.O., Zabah, N.F., Abdullah, Y. et al. Effects of electron radiation on commercial power MOSFET with buck converter application. NUCL SCI TECH 28, 31 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-017-0189-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-017-0189-8

Keywords

Navigation