Heavy ion-induced MCUs in 28 nm SRAM-based FPGAs: upset proportions, classifications, and pattern shapes

For modern scaling devices, multiple cell upsets (MCUs) have become a major threat to high-reliability field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based systems. Thus, both performing the worst-case irradiation tests to provide the actual MCU response of devices and proposing an effective MCU distinction method are urgently needed. In this study, high- and medium-energy heavy-ion irradiations for the configuration random-access memory of 28 nm FPGAs are performed. An MCU extraction method supported by theoretical predictions is proposed to study the MCU sizes, shapes, and frequencies in detail. Based on the extraction method, the different percentages, and orientations of the large MCUs in both the azimuth and zenith directions determine the worse irradiation response of the FPGAs. The extracted largest 9-bit MCUs indicate that high-energy heavy ions can induce more severe failures than medium-energy ones. The results show that both the use of high-energy heavy ions during MCU evaluations and effective protection for the application of high-density 28 nm FPGAs in space are extremely necessary.