Measurement of SET Pulse Width Modulation in CMOS Combinational Logic by Laser-Induced Fault Injection

Abstract

Digital Single Event Transients (DSETs) induced by high-energy ion hit cause system errors in digital devices. The occurrence frequency of the error depends on the transient pulse width. In addition, as represented by the Propagating-Induced Pulse Broadening (PIPB), the pulse width increases or decreases depending on combinational logic circuit configuration in which the pulse propagates. We propose a new technique (not a simulation) that enables investigating the pulse width modulation in complex circuits, e.g., an adder circuit, without additional test circuits. The proposed technique observed the pulse width broadening of 190 ps with a confidence interval of ± 94 ps in an 8-bit ripple carry adder fabricated by 0.18 μm bulk CMOS technology.