Prognostic Capabilities for Field Effect Transistors (FET)

The proposed ePHM module for MOSFETs utilizes a group of prognostic cells and devices to monitor the parametric shift of critical MOS parameters and gain insight into way that the physical mechanisms responsible for degradation and aging impact the progression of fault to failure and remaining useful life of MOS electronics. Candidate parameters to be monitored are threshold voltage (VT), saturation current (Idsat), leakage current (IL), transconductance (gm), and on-resistance (RDSON). The excursion of these parameters is intimately connected to performance degradation and aging due to electrical, thermal, and radiation stress of electronic components due to mechanisms such as Time Dependent Dielectric Breakdown (TDDB), Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI), Hot Carrier Injection (HCI), Electrostatic Discharge (ESD), and radiation Total Ionizing Dose (TID)BENEFITS: The prognostics market is represented by military and commercial firms that have critical needs for advanced warning of problems and associated recovery methods. Ridgetop’s initial thrust for commercialization of the technology has been through the application of prognostics on critical processing systems supporting missile electronics. Ridgetop has established good working relationships with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, and Raytheon Missile Systems. Both firms have expressed a strong interest in providing technology insertion opportunities for Ridgetop. Ridgetop has also worked with firms such as Honeywell and Boeing on joint proposals addressing critical system designs for commercial and military aircraft.