Stuck Bits Study in DDR3 SDRAMs Using 45-MeV Proton Beam

Abstract

This work shares the observations of stuck bits by proton beam in DDR3 components in 3x-nm technologies. The DDR3 SDRAMs from four major DRAM manufacturers were tested with a 45-MeV proton beam at an operating frequency of 800 MHz. The beam exposure resulted in single bit upset (SBU) and multiple bit upsets (MBUs), as well as single and multiple stuck bits in a word due to micro-dose and displacement damage effects. The number of stuck bits reduced as the refresh interval duration was decreased. Moreover, for the tested samples, the stuck bits were recovered completely and could be run in the normal operation mode after annealing at . The occurrence of multiple stuck bits in a word was likely due to damages to the control logic and those stuck bits were recovered as well after annealing at .Index Terms-DDR3, displacement damage effect, DRAM cell retention time, DRAMs, proton beams, SDRAM, stuck bits, TID effect.

Impact of Atmospheric and Space Radiation on Sensitive Electronic Devices

“…Several studies have shown that stuck bits may appear with intermittent behavior [38]- [40], being able to operate normally during different periods within a stuck state, and being intermittently faulty. DRAM cells present a variable retention time capability, and these effects may be enhanced by radiation-induced effects that can increase the cell leakage, thus reducing the cell retention capability and leading to stuck bits [41]. In several works, this effect is assumed to be caused by micro-dose and displacement damage effects [41].…”

“…DRAM cells present a variable retention time capability, and these effects may be enhanced by radiation-induced effects that can increase the cell leakage, thus reducing the cell retention capability and leading to stuck bits [41]. In several works, this effect is assumed to be caused by micro-dose and displacement damage effects [41]. In, e.g., [42], the stuck bits were attributed to single-particle displacement damage effects induced by single high-energy neutrons and protons.…”

Laser Induced Single Event Upset (SEU) Testing of Commercial Memory Devices with Embedded Error Correction Codes (ECC)

“…Laser-induced single event effects generally include two processes: (i) ionization track with high charge density is formed through photo-ionization, which is the process of charge/energy deposition; (ii) when the ionization track passes through the sensitive junction (p-n junction) of the semiconductor device, a large number of charges in the track are collected by the sensitive junction under the action of the depletion layer electric field [4] [5]. If the collected charge exceeds a critical value, the memory state or logic state of the device will change, resulting in the single event effects.…”