Recent radiation issues in silicon-on-insulator devices

Scaling to lower voltages, thinner layers, new materials, and multi-gate structures has implications for radiation effects in microelectronics, including SOI-based devices. Shorter channel lengths increase the parasitic bipolar gain and thinner BOX layers exacerbate capacitive coupling from charge deposited in the substrate. Thinner silicon layers may reduce charge collection, but place the BOX layer in closer proximity to the device channel, increasing the relevance of the total-ionizing-dose radiation response of the BOX layer and associated interfaces. Technology roadmaps include SiGe HBTs and non-planar multi-gate CMOS structures on SOI. This paper discusses recent radiation issues in SOI devices, and implications of new device structures and materials, and smaller dimensions, for radiation effects in future SOI devices.