"Activation Energy determination of a space qualified 350 nm Flash Technology"
Joe Fabula1, Don Pecko1, and Jim Hall2
1Xilinx
2BoeingAbstract
Xilinx, in partnership with Boeing, has performed a classical study over the past year that has not been run on current technology in recent times. We have definitively determined the activation energy of the charge storage mechanism utilized in several families of space qualified flash-based PROMs. The technology level evaluated is used to manufacture both one-time programmable and in-system re-programmable PROMs. The exciting thing about this work is that it does not support the commonly used activation energy of 0.58ev.
The data does support a considerably higher activation energy than is normally assumed for this level of technology and this may have a profound impact on the use of these products on long duration and deep space applications. The data was taken by meticulously probing programmed wafers up to as many as 18 times, and doing data retention bake on the programmed wafers at various temperatures up to 275°C and for periods as long as 1800 hours. This enabled the performance of the data retention bake at temperatures much higher than commonly allowed by today’s commercial packaging. The results of analysis of the resulting data will be presented.