Soft error rate measurements in semiconductor memories at Pennsylvania State University

In this paper, initial results of the thermal neutron beam effects that focused only on the effect of ¹⁰B fission caused by thermal neutron absorption on soft error rate. For next generation technologies, which will have denser configurations and lower operating voltages, one needs to take into account the high-energy neutron impact on device operation for detailed soft error rate analysis. Currently, fast neutron beam studies are in progress at PSBR to observe the effect of fast neutrons on SER. Fast neutron beam achieved by moving sample to the reactor core peripheral by means of a specially designed handling instrument. The fast neutron flux at the reactor core boundary is 5×10¹² neutrons/cm²sec, and thermal flux 1.3×10¹³ neutrons/cm²sec at 1-MW steady state reactor operation. Furthermore, the reactor can be pulsed approximately 10 msec at FWHM, at which the generated fast neutron flux can be as high as 1×10¹⁶ neutrons/cm²sec at the core periphery. Thus, one order of magnitude of acceleration factor can be gained that experiment duration will be shortened.