The development of FinFET technology has made possible the continuous scaling-down of CMOS technological nodes. In parallel, the increasing need to store more information has resulted in the fact that Static Random Access Memories (SRAMs) occupy great part of Systems-on-Chip (SoCs). The manufacturing process variation has introduced several types of defects that directly affect the SRAM's reliability, causing different faults. Thus, it remains unknown if the fault models used in CMOS memory circuits are sufficiently accurate to represent the faulty behavior of FinFET-based memories. In this context, a study of manufacturing's functional implications regarding resistive defects in FinFETbased SRAMs is presented. In more detail, a complete analysis of static and dynamic fault behavior for FinFET-based SRAMs is described. The proposed analysis has been performed through SPICE simulations, adopting a compact Predictive Technology Model (PTM) of FinFET transistors, considering different technological nodes. Faults have been categorized as single or coupling, static or dynamic.
CMOS technology scaling has reached its limit at the 22 nm technology node due to several factors including Process Variations (PV), increased leakage current, Random Dopant Fluctuation (RDF), and mainly the Short-Channel Effect (SCE). In order to continue the miniaturization process via technology down-scaling while preserving system reliability and performance, Fin Field-Effect Transistors (FinFETs) arise as an alternative to CMOS transistors. In parallel, Static Random-Access Memories (SRAMs) increasingly occupy great part of Systems-on-Chips' (SoCs) silicon area, making their reliability an important issue. SRAMs are designed to reach densities at the limit of the manufacturing process, making this component susceptible to manufacturing defects, including the resistive ones. Such defects may cause dynamic faults during the circuits' lifetime, an important cause of test escape. Thus, the identification of the proper faulty behavior taking different operating conditions into account is considered crucial to guarantee the development of more suitable test methodologies. In this context, a comparison between the behavior of a 22 nm CMOS-based and a 20 nm FinFET-based SRAM in the presence of resistive defects is carried out considering different power supply voltages. In more detail, the behavior of defective cells operating under different power supply voltages has been investigated performing SPICE simulations. Results show that the power supply voltage plays an important role in the faulty behavior of both CMOS-and FinFET-based SRAM cells in the presence of resistive defects but demonstrate to be more expressive when considering the FinFET-based memories. Studying different operating temperatures, the results show an expressively higher occurrence of dynamic faults in FinFET-based SRAMs when compared to CMOS technology.
With the IEC 62.132 proposal, the roadmap for standardization of Electromagnetic (EM) immunity measurement methods has reached a high degree of success. The same understanding can be taken from the MIL-STD-883 H for Total Ionizing Dose (TID) radiation. However, no effort has been made to measure the behavior of electronics operating under the combined effects of both, EM noise and TID radiation. For the reasons pointed out, the combinedeffect measurements should be mandatory when dealing with Systems-on-Chip (SoCs) devoted to critical applications. In this paper, we present a configurable platform devoted to perform combined tests of EM immunity and TID radiation of SoCs according to the international standards.
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