Electrostatic discharge effects in irradiated fully depleted SOI MOSFETs with ultra-thin gate oxide

We present new results on electrostatic discharges in fully depleted SOI MOSFETs struck by heavy ions. We investigate the sensitivity of irradiated MOSFETs to discharges applied both at the gate and drain terminals. A single heavy-ion strike is shown to reduce the ESD breakdown voltage and enhance the probability of generating source-drain filaments for gate ESD events, while leaving the sensitivity to drain events unchanged. Radiation-induced latent damage in the gate oxide and defects in the silicon body are pointed out. as possible reasons for the modified response to electrostatic discharges after irradiation.