Susceptibility of Semiconductor Devices to Thermal Second Breakdown

Abstract

A method for determining the susceptibility of semiconductor devices to damage from an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) due to induced thermal second breakdown is described. The method can be used as a nondestructive screening test. It is based on the increase in junction reverse breakdown voltage with temperature and can be used to find the most EMP resistant devices of a given device type. A mathematical explanation is presented, and other tentative applications are proposed.