Aerospace integrated circuit technology is a key core technology for achieving miniaturization, integration, and intelligence in aerospace systems, playing an indispensable role in the aerospace field. Its progress is of great significance for countries around the world to enhance their aerospace capabilities and ensure national security. Compared to general integrated circuit technology, aerospace integrated circuit technology pays more attention to the reliability, lifespan, and adaptability to the aerospace environment of devices and circuits. Therefore, there are special considerations in design, process, packaging, testing, and application, focusing on common technologies such as radiation resistance and high-reliability packaging while also researching key technologies for the development of different types of products.
In the past few decades, aerospace integrated circuit technology has made tremendous progress. Its applications in data processing, communication, navigation, and control systems provide powerful and reliable support for aerospace missions, becoming an important driving force for the development of aerospace technology. On the one hand, the current demand for integrated circuit technology in the aerospace field is growing increasingly, not only due to the extreme environmental requirements of new aerospace missions for electronic equipment but also because aerospace engineering needs more advanced and reliable electronic and information system solutions. On the other hand, the rapid development of integrated circuit technology is bringing unprecedented opportunities to the aerospace industry, enabling spacecraft to become smaller, more reliable, smarter, and cheaper, making further deep space exploration, safer manned spaceflight, and lower-cost satellite communication possible. Meanwhile, the development of technology and changes in demand pose greater challenges and opportunities for aerospace integrated circuit technology and products.
To help readers gain a deeper understanding of the development status of aerospace integrated circuits, this journal has specially planned the “Aerospace Integrated Circuit Research Column.” This column focuses on the latest research, innovative technologies, and future trends in the field of aerospace integrated circuits, covering multiple aspects including the conceptual connotation of aerospace integrated circuits, overall development status, environmental effects, design, process, and evaluation technologies for high reliability and radiation resistance. These high-level cutting-edge achievements provide valuable academic insights into the current technological development trend and showcase the latest research results from industry experts and scholars. We believe that the publication of this column will promote active discussions among industry experts and scholars and attract more outstanding talents to engage in this field, driving the continuous progress and innovation of aerospace integrated circuit technology. This column will be published in the third issue of 2024.
Five articles are as follows (click to read the full text or download the complete PDF version):
Aerospace Integrated Circuit Technology Development and Thoughts
Research Progress on Space Radiation Effects of Silicon-based Photodetectors
Single Particle Effects and Nbuffer Reinforcement of NLDMOS Devices
Research on Power MOSFET Anti-Single Particle Reinforcement Technology
Research on System-level Single Particle Effect Testing Methods
Zhao Yuanfu1, Wang Liang2
(1. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Ninth Research Institute; 2. Beijing Institute of Microelectronics)
Abstract: Aerospace integrated circuit technology is the core foundational technology of aerospace engineering, and its long-term continuous development is key for China to become a major aerospace power. This article introduces the international development status of integrated circuits, trends in aerospace integrated circuit development, the development ideas of countries like the US and Europe, and the current status of aerospace integrated circuit development in China, as well as discusses several thoughts on the development of aerospace integrated circuits in our country.
Fu Jing1, Fu Xiaojun1, Wei Jianan1, Zhang Peijian1, Guo Anran2
(1. National Key Laboratory of Integrated Circuits and Microsystems; 2. China Electronics Technology Group Chip Technology Co., Ltd. Solid Image Department)
Abstract: Silicon-based optoelectronic technology combines the advantages of high integration of large-scale integrated circuit manufacturing technology with the high bandwidth and high speed of optoelectronic chips, promoting the widespread application of silicon-based optoelectronic devices in fields such as high energy physics experiments, medical imaging, and high-energy particle colliders. However, photodetectors used in space environments and medical detectors are expected to be subjected to an accumulated dose of about ~1e12 particles/cm2 (square centimeters) during their operational cycle, while new detectors for large particle colliders must withstand radiation doses of ~1e14 particles/cm2 (square centimeters). This article elaborates on the research status of space radiation effects on silicon-based photodetectors, mainly including the radiation effects research progress of mainstream photodetectors such as silicon-based photodiodes, avalanche photodiodes, single-photon detectors, and photomultiplier tubes after irradiation with different particles. The research results show that the detectors have good resistance to total ionizing dose performance, and displacement damage is the main reason for the degradation of their key performance parameters. Due to differences in working principles, various devices exhibit different degradation behaviors and mechanisms in radiation environments.
Yang Qiang, Ge Chaoyang, Li Yanfei, Xie Rubing, Hong Genshen
(China Electronics Technology Group Corporation No. 58 Research Institute)
Abstract: This paper proposes an N-type lateral diffusion metal-oxide-semiconductor (NLDMOS) structure with an Nbuffer structure in the drift region to enhance the device’s anti-single particle burnout (SEB) capability. TCAD simulations verify the electrical and anti-single particle characteristics of this structure. Without changing the device performance, the 18 V NLDMOS SEB trigger voltage was increased from 22 V to 32 V, reaching the theoretical maximum value, which is the device’s avalanche breakdown voltage. NLDMOS devices with the Nbuffer structure can suppress single particle incidence and shift the peak electric field when the device’s parasitic transistor is turned on, avoiding avalanche breakdown that leads to SEB. Moreover, the Nbuffer structure is still applicable for SEB reinforcement of 18~60 V NLDMOS devices.
Chen Baozhong1,2, Song Kun1,2, Wang Yingmin1,2, Liu Cunsheng1,2, Wang Xiaohe1,2, Zhao Hui1,2, Xin Weiping1,2, Yang Lixia1,2, Xing Hongyan1,2, Wang Chenjie1,2
(1. Xi’an Institute of Microelectronics; 2. Radiation Resistant Integrated Circuit Technology Laboratory)
Abstract: This paper conducts research on process reinforcement technology for the single particle effect (SEE) of power MOSFETs. For SEB reinforcement, an optimized bulk doping process is adopted to effectively reduce the gain of the parasitic bipolar transistor (BJT) and suppress the current positive feedback mechanism under single particle irradiation. For single particle gate rupture (SEGR) reinforcement, the longitudinal electric field gradient is reduced by forming a gradually varying doped epitaxial buffer layer, weakening the accumulation of non-equilibrium carriers in the gate-sensitive area, and a stepped gate dielectric structure is developed to enhance the critical field strength of the gate-sensitive area. Experimental results show that the reinforced power MOSFETs have a single particle burnout and gate rupture LET value greater than 75 MeV·cm2 (square centimeters)/mg under the full-rated drain-source working voltage and 15 V gate-source negative bias conditions. Under the same irradiation conditions, the gate-source negative bias voltage of the reinforced devices reaches 15~17 V, significantly higher than the 7~10 V before reinforcement.
Ding Lili, Chen Wei, Guo Xiaoqiang, Zhang Fengqi, Yao Zhibin, Wu Wei
(National Key Laboratory for Simulation and Effects of Strong Pulse Radiation Environment, Northwest Nuclear Technology Research Institute)
Abstract: To assess the sensitivity of on-board electronic systems to single particle effects and verify the effectiveness of system-level reinforcement methods, this paper conducts research on system-level single particle effect testing methods. It verifies the feasibility of using ground simulation devices to evaluate the system functionality interruption rate by irradiating devices in the system one by one. It proposes that sensitivity data of devices can be obtained through various means, pointing out the unreasonable aspects of directly summing the functional interruption cross-sections corresponding to devices in the system to obtain the system cross-section curve. This study provides technical support for conducting system-level single particle effect testing.
Column Editor:
Zhang Yanlong
Aerospace Science and Technology Group Ninth Institute 772 Institute Deputy Director, Researcher. He has long been engaged in the technical research and planning of core aerospace components, especially dedicated to the development of spacecraft FPGA, leading/participating in multiple national projects from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Military Science and Technology Commission, and the Equipment Development Department. The team has successfully developed a series of FPGA products ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of millions of gates, which are widely used in major aerospace projects and weaponry such as manned spaceflight and BeiDou navigation, while also expanding the development of multiple high-reliability, low-cost domestic FPGA and supporting products, which have been applied in fields such as nuclear power and industrial control. The research achievements have received three provincial and ministerial awards. As a core member of the team, he received the National Defense Science and Technology Innovation Team Award from the Ministry of National Defense Science and Industry, published more than 20 papers, and applied for more than 60 patents.
Currently, the main research work focuses on reconfigurable intelligent computing technology, integrating heterogeneous resources such as FPGA reconfigurable capabilities, multi-core processors, AI accelerators, and on-chip memory, breaking through the bottlenecks of core processing chips used in space applications in terms of computing power, flexibility, and energy efficiency, supporting the intelligent and miniaturized development of the next generation of aerospace equipment.
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