Mechanisms of enhanced radiation-induced degradation due to excess molecular hydrogen in bipolar oxides

Bipolar junction test structures packaged in hermetically sealed packages with excess molecular hydrogen (H-2) showed enhanced degradation after radiation exposure. Using chemical kinetics, we propose a model that quantitatively establishes the relationship between excess H-2 and radiation-induced interface trap formation. Using environments with different molecular hydrogen concentrations, radiation experiments were performed and the experimental data showed excellent agreement with the proposed model. The results, both experimentally and theoretically, showed increased radiation induced degradation with H-2 concentration, and device degradation saturate at both high and low ends of H-2 concentrations.