SET and noise fault tolerant circuit design techniques: Application to 7nm FinFET

Abstract

Abstract-In the near future of high component density and low-power technologies, soft errors occurring not only in memory systems and latches but also in the combinational parts of logic circuits will seriously affect the reliable operation of integrated circuits. In this paper, we present a novel design style that reduces the impact of radiation-induced single event transients (SET) on logic circuits, and enhances the robustness in noisy environments. This technology's independent design style achieves SET mitigation and noise immunity by strengthening the sensitive nodes using a technique similar to feedback. We propose two alternatives for this methodology in 7nm FinFET, and, to check the accuracy of our proposal, we compare them with previous techniques for hardening radiation at the transistor level against a Single Event Transient. Simulation results show that the proposed method has a higher soft error tolerance capability than existing methods as well as better noisy immunity.

Impact of negative bias temperature instability on single event transients in scaled logic circuits

“…In combinational circuits, SEUs can be induced as an additional current which is injected at selected nodes and then propagates through the logic elements and can give rise to soft errors. 27 In this work, we evaluate the effect of NBTI in combination with the soft error radiation hardening enhancement of integrated CMOS circuits. To this end, firstly the soft error analysis of a two-input NAND gate is performed at different operating temperatures and a total stress time of up to 3 years.…”

“…The aforementioned SEU is the most common type for a single event effect (SEE) occurring in storage elements (latches and memory cells), which can lead to a flip of the logic state of a circuits' output. In combinational circuits, SEUs can be induced as an additional current which is injected at selected nodes and then propagates through the logic elements and can give rise to soft errors 27 …”