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This paper uses the simplified charge-based EKV MOSFET model for studying the effects of total ionizing dose (TID) on analog parameters and figures-of-merit (FoMs) of 28nm bulk MOSFETs. These effects are demonstrated to be fully captured by the five key parameters of the simplified EKV model. The latter are extracted from the measured transfer characteristics at each TID. Despite the very few parameters, both the simplified large- A nd small-signal models present an excellent match with measurements at all levels of TID. The impacts of TID on essential parameters, including the drain leakage current, the threshold voltage, the slope factor, and the specific current, are then evaluated. Finally, TID effects on the transconductance Gm, the output conductance Gds, the intrinsic gain Gm/Gdsand the transconductance efficiency Gm/Id are investigated.

The DC performance of both n- and pMOSFETs fabricated in a commercial-grade 28 nm bulk CMOS process has been studied up to 1 Grad of total ionizing dose and at post-irradiation annealing. The aim is to assess the potential use of such an advanced CMOS technology in the forthcoming upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. The total ionizing dose effects show limited influence in the drive current of all the tested nMOSFETs. Nonetheless, the leakage current increases significantly, affecting the normal device operation of the nMOSFETs. These phenomena can be linked to the charge trapping in the oxides and at the Si/oxide interfaces, related to both the gate oxide and the shallow trench isolation oxide. In addition, it has been observed that the radiation-induced effects are partly recovered by the long-term post-irradiation annealing. To quantify the total ionizing dose effects on DC characteristics, the threshold voltage, subthreshold swing, and drain induced barrier lowering have also been extracted for nMOSFETs.

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) running at CERN will soon be upgraded to increase its luminosity giving rise to radiations reaching the level of GigaRad Total Ionizing Dose (TID). This paper investigates the impact of such high radiation on transistors fabricated in a commercial 28 nm bulk CMOS process with the perspective of using it for the future silicon-based detectors. The DC electrical behavior of nMOSFETs is studied up to 1 Grad TID. All tested devices demonstrate to withstand that dose without any radiation-hard layout techniques. In spite of that, they experience a significant drain leakage current increase which may affect normal device operation. In addition, a moderate threshold voltage shift and subthreshold slope degradation is observed. These phenomena have been linked to radiation-induced effects like interface and switching oxide traps, together with parasitic side-wall transistors.

This paper presents the first experimental investigation and physical discussion of the cryogenic behavior of a commercial 28 nm bulk CMOS technology. Here we extract the fundamental physical parameters of this technology at 300,77 and 4.2 K based on DC measurement results. The extracted values are then used to demonstrate the impact of cryogenic temperatures on the essential analog design parameters. We find that the simplified charge-based EKV model can accurately predict the cryogenic behavior. This represents a main step towards the design of analog/RF circuits integrated in an advanced bulk CMOS process and operating at cryogenic temperature for quantum computing control systems.

This paper investigates the radiation tolerance of 28-nm bulk n and p MOSFETs up to 1 Grad of total ionizing dose (TID). The radiation effects on this commercial 28-nm bulk CMOS process demonstrate a strong geometry dependence as a result of the complex interplay of oxide and interface charge trapping relevant to the gate-related dielectrics and the shallow trench isolation. The narrowest/longest channel devices have the most serious performance degradation. In addition, n MOSFETs present a limited on-current variation and a significant off-current increase, while p MOSFETs show a negligible off-current change and a substantial on-current degradation. The postirradiation annealing annihilates or neutralizes oxide trapped positive charges and tends to partly recover the degraded device performance. To quantify the effects of TID and postirradiation annealing, parameters including the threshold voltage, the free carrier mobility, the subthreshold swing, and the drain-induced barrier lowering are extracted.

The paper presents a camera comprising 512 × 128 pixels capable of single-photon detection and gating with a maximum frame rate of 156 kfps. The photon capture is performed through a gated single-photon avalanche diode that generates a digital pulse upon photon detection and through a digital one-bit counter. Gray levels are obtained through multiple counting and accumulation, while time-resolved imaging is achieved through a 4-ns gating window controlled with subnanosecond accuracy by a field-programmable gate array. The sensor, which is equipped with microlenses to enhance its effective fill factor, was electro-optically characterized in terms of sensitivity and uniformity. Several examples of capture of fast events are shown to demonstrate the suitability of the approach., (OLD)Applied Quantum Architectures

We present the architecture and three applications of the largest resolution image sensor based on single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) published to date. The sensor, fabricated in a high-voltage CMOS process, has a resolution of 512 x 128 pixels and a pitch of 24 ?m. The fill-factor of 5% can be increased to 30% with the use of microlenses. For precise control of the exposure and for time-resolved imaging, we use fast global gating signals to define exposure windows as small as 4 ns. The uniformity of the gate edges location is ~140 ps (FWHM) over the whole array, while in-pixel digital counting enables frame rates as high as 156 kfps. Currently, our camera is used as a highly sensitive sensor with high temporal resolution, for applications ranging from fluorescence lifetime measurements to fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and generation of true random numbers., Microelectronics, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

Microelectronics, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

The EC DELVE Support Action project has analyzed the bottlenecks in the transfer of Humanitarian Demining (HD) technology from technology development to the use in the field, and drawn some lessons learned, basing itself on the assessment of the European Humanitarian Demining Research and Technology Development (RTD) situation from early 1990 until 2006. The situation at the European level was analyzed with emphasis on activities sponsored by the European Commission (EC). This was also done for four European countries and Japan, with emphasis on national activities. The developments in HD during the last 10 years underline the fact that in a number of cases demining related developments have been terminated or at least put on hold. The study also showed that the funding provided by the EC under the Framework Program for RTD has led directly to the creation of an extensive portfolio of Humanitarian Demining technology development projects. The latter provided a range of research and supporting measures addressing the critical issues identified as a result of the regulatory policies developed in the field of Humanitarian Demining over the last ten years. However, the range of instruments available to the EC to finance the necessary research and development were limited, to pre-competitive research. The EC had no tools or programs to directly fund actual product development. As a first consequence, the EC funding program for development of technology for Humanitarian Demining unfortunately proved to be largely unsuitable for the small-scale development needed in a field where there is only a very limited market. As a second consequence, most of the research has been demonstrator-oriented. Moreover, the timeframe for RTD in Humanitarian Demining has not been sufficiently synchronized with the timeframe of the EC policies and regulations. The separation of the Mine Action and RTD funding streams in the EC did also negatively affect the take-up of new technologies. As a c