A brief review of heavy-ion radiation degradation and failure of silicon UMOS power transistors

Abstract

Silicon VDMOS power MOSFET technology is being supplanted by UMOS (or trench) power MOSFET technology. Designers of spaceborne power electronics systems incorporating this newer power MOSFET technology need to be aware of several unique threats that this technology may encounter in space. Space radiation threats to UMOS power devices include vulnerabilities to SEB, SEGR, and microdose. There have been relatively few studies presented or published on the effects of radiation on this device technology. The S-O-A knowledge of UMOS power device degradation and failure under heavy-ion exposure is reviewed.