Completion detection as a means for improving alpha soft-error resistance
US5691652A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 20, 1996 |
| Grant date | Nov 25, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 20, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K3/35606
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for improving alpha-particle induced soft error rates in integrated circuits is provided. Logic isolation circuits implemented using a substantially fewer number of pn-junctions are situated at the outputs of fast logic portions containing a substantially greater number of pn-junctions. The present invention reduces the vulnerability of a dynamic logic circuit of incurring alpha soft errors by effectively trading the probability of an isolation circuit composed of only a few pn-junctions incurring alpha-particle strikes with the probability of a fast logic circuit having substantially more pn-junctions incurring alpha-particle strikes. By reducing the number of pn-junctions susceptible to alpha-particle strikes, the present invention significantly lowers the potential alpha-particle induced soft error rate. In one embodiment, isolation circuits used in the present invention are implemented using self-timed logic, to reduce the window in which a circuit is logically vulnerable to alpha strikes, in which a loss of state can occur.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.