Skip to main content

Modeling Dynamic Stability of SRAMs in the Presence of Radiation Particle Strikes

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Analysis and Design of Resilient VLSI Circuits
  • 815 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter presents a model for the dynamic stability of an SRAM cell in the presence of a radiation particle strike. Such models are required since SRAM stability analysis is crucial from an economic viewpoint, given the extensive use of memory in modern processors and SoCs. Static noise margin (SNM)-based stability analysis often results in pessimistic designs because SNM cannot capture the transient behavior of noise events. Therefore, to improve the accuracy of SRAM noise analysis, dynamic stability should be considered. The dynamic model of SRAM stability proposed in this chapter utilizes the double exponential current pulse for modeling a radiation particle strike, and is able to predict (more accurately than the most accurate prior approach) whether a radiation particle strike will result in a state flip in a 6T-SRAM cell (for given values of Q, τα, and τβ). This model enables a designer to quickly (2,000 ×faster than SPICE) and accurately analyze SRAM stability during the design phase.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. E. Seevinck, F. J. List, and J. Lohstroh, “Static-noise margin analysis of MOS SRAM cells,” IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. SC-22, no. 5, pp. 748–754, Oct. 1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. J. Rabaey, Digital Integrated Circuits: A Design Perspective, Prentice Hall Electronics and VLSI Series. US Prentice Hall, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  3. K. Takeda, Y. Hagihara, Y. Aimoto, M. Nomura, Y. Nakazawa, T. Ishii, and H. Kobatake, “A read-static-noise-margin-free SRAM cell of low-VDD and high-speed applications,” IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 113–121, Jan. 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. B. Zhang, A. Arapostathis, S. Nassif, and M. Orshansky, “Analytical modeling of SRAM dynamic stability,” in Proc. of the Intl. Conf. on Computer-Aided Design, Nov. 2006, pp. 315–322.

    Google Scholar 

  5. S. Rusu, M. Sachdev, C. Svensson, and B. Nauta, “T3: Trends and challenges in VLSI technology scaling towards 100nm,” in Proc. of the Asia South Pacific Design Automation Conf., 2002, pp. 16–17.

    Google Scholar 

  6. T. May and M. Woods, “Alpha-particle-induced soft errors in dynamic memories,” IEEE Transaction on Electron Devices, vol. ED-26, pp. 2–9, Jan 1979.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. J. Pickle and J. Blandford, “CMOS RAM cosmic-ray-induced error rate analysis,” IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. NS-29, pp. 3962–3967, 1981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. K. Anami, M. Yoshimoto, H. Shinohara, Y. Hirata, and T. Nakano, “Design consideration of a static memory cell,” IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. SC-18, no. 4, pp. 414–418, Aug. 1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. J. Lohstroh, E. Seevinck, and J. D. Groot, “Worst-case static noise margin criteria for logic circuits and their mathematical equivalence,” IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. SC-18, no. 6, pp. 803–807, Dec. 1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. C. Tsai and M. Marek-Sadowska, “Analysis of process variation’s effect on SRAM’s read stability,” in Proc. of the Intl. Symposium on Quality Electronic Design, 2006, pp. 603–610.

    Google Scholar 

  11. B. H. Calhoun and A. P. Chardrakasan, “Static noise margin variation for sub-threshold SRAM in 65-nm cmos,” IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 41, pp. 1673–1679, July 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. W. Massengill, M. Alles, and S. Kerns, “SEU error rates in advanced digital CMOS,” in Proc. of the European Conf. on Radiation and Its Effects on Components and Systems, Sep. 1993, pp. 546 – 553.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Q. Zhou and K. Mohanram, “Transistor sizing for radiation hardening,” in Proc. of the Intl. Reliability Physics Symposium, April 2004, pp. 310–315.

    Google Scholar 

  14. R. Garg, N. Jayakumar, S. P. Khatri, and G. Choi, “A design approach for radiation-hard digital electronics,” in Proc. of the Design Automation Conf., July 2006, pp. 773–778.

    Google Scholar 

  15. M. Horowitz, “Timing models for MOS circuits,” Ph.D. dissertation, Stanford University, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Synopsys Inc., Mountain View, CA, HSPICE User’s Manual, 2003.03 edition.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Nanoscale integration and modeling (NIMO) group (2007), ASU Predictive Technology Model [On-line], Available: http://www.eas.asu.edu/∼ptm

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Rajesh Garg or Sunil P. Khatri .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer-Verlag US

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Garg, R., Khatri, S.P. (2010). Modeling Dynamic Stability of SRAMs in the Presence of Radiation Particle Strikes. In: Analysis and Design of Resilient VLSI Circuits. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0931-2_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0931-2_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-0930-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-0931-2

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics