Radiation Effects of Advanced Electronic Devices and Circuits, 3rd Edition

A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Semiconductor Devices".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2026 | Viewed by 3694

Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Physics and Materials Science, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Interests: radiation effect; advanced electronic devices; advanced integrated circuit
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Guest Editor
College of Computer, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
Interests: radiation effects; single event effects; nano-electronic devices; nano-integrated circuits
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Interests: radiation effects on semiconductor devices; single event effects
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research on the effects of radiation on advanced electronic devices and integrated circuits has increased rapidly in recent years, resulting in many interesting approaches to the modeling of radiation effects and the design of advanced radiation-hardened electronic devices and integrated circuits. In parallel, the study of device reliability has become increasingly critical, as harsh radiation environments significantly accelerate aging and failure mechanisms. This research is strongly driven by the growing need for radiation-hardened higher-performance electronics for space applications like planetary exploration, high-energy physics experiments such as those on the large hadron collider at CERN, and many nuclear applications (e.g., nuclear energy and safety management). With the progressive scaling of integrated circuit technologies and the growing complexity of electronic devices, their susceptibility to ionizing radiation and reliability degradation has raised many exciting challenges, which are expected to drive research in the coming decade. Although the total ionizing dose (TID) effects on bulk CMOS are well known, little is known about the radiation performance of SOI, FinFET, GAA (gate-all-around), and 3D stacking technologies, or novel devices based on carbon nanotubes, graphene, and other advanced materials. Regarding single-event effects (SEEs), continued scaling has drastically enhanced the charge-sharing effect, which leads to multiple-cell upsets and multi-pulse propagations and requires new solutions to reduce radiation sensitivity in advanced digital/analog/RF/power/mixed-signal devices and integrated circuits. The radiation hardness assurance of complex systems with multiple components in mixed technologies also necessitates new testing paradigms and verification methodologies to limit the time and cost of evaluation.

The main aim of this Special Issue is to seek high-quality submissions that highlight emerging applications and address recent breakthroughs in device reliability and the modeling of radiation effects in advanced electronic devices and integrated circuits; radiation-hardening techniques for advanced digital, analog, RF, and mixed-signal integrated circuits; and testing methodologies for radiation effect characterization and hardness evaluation. The topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Basic mechanisms of radiation effects in advanced electronic devices, integrated circuits, and novel devices.
  • Reliability physics, degradation mechanisms, and failure analysis in advanced devices, including negative-bias temperature instability (NBTI), hot carrier injection (HCI), time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB), etc.
  • Compact modeling of radiation effects in advanced electronic devices, integrated circuits, and novel devices.
  • Radiation hardening and fault tolerance for advanced electronic devices, integrated circuits, and novel devices.
  • The influence of the radiation environment, including space, atmospheric, terrestrial, and artificial influences.
  • Radiation effect characterization and radiation hardness assurance testing.
  • New developments of interest to the radiation effect community.

Prof. Dr. Chang Cai
Dr. Yaqing Chi
Dr. Li Cai
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • radiation effect
  • device reliability
  • total ionizing dose
  • single-event effect
  • spacecraft charging
  • radiation hardening
  • electronic device
  • integrated circuit
  • radiation environment
  • hardness assurance

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4341 KB  
Article
Single-Event Burnout Mitigation in Silicon VDMOS Power Devices: An Electro-Thermal TCAD Study
by Eusebio Rodrigo, José Rebollo, Xavier Jordà, José Camps, Llorenç Latorre and Miquel Vellvehi
Electronics 2026, 15(6), 1201; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15061201 - 13 Mar 2026
Viewed by 599
Abstract
Single-Event Burnout (SEB) is one of the most critical failure mechanisms in silicon power MOSFETs operating in radiation environments, particularly under heavy-ion irradiation, and often limits device operation through excessive voltage derating. In this work, SEB robustness of a silicon VDMOS power device [...] Read more.
Single-Event Burnout (SEB) is one of the most critical failure mechanisms in silicon power MOSFETs operating in radiation environments, particularly under heavy-ion irradiation, and often limits device operation through excessive voltage derating. In this work, SEB robustness of a silicon VDMOS power device is investigated using detailed electro-thermal transient simulations. The study evaluates two complementary device-level modifications: the introduction of a buffer layer between the epitaxial layer and the substrate, which has been reported in the past, and a new approach considering the incorporation of a novel highly doped boron BOX implant within the P-body region. Heavy-ion impacts are simulated using a physically based model implemented in SENTAURUS TCAD, accounting for ion energy deposition, impact position, and thermal effects. The results show that the buffer layer increases the second breakdown voltage and can suppress high-current operating points, while the BOX implant raises the parasitic BJT activation threshold by reducing the P-body resistance. When combined, both modifications lead to a significant reduction in the peak temperature reached during after-impact transients, without introducing measurable degradation of static electrical characteristics. These results demonstrate that combining buffer layer engineering with localized P-body resistance reduction is an effective strategy to improve SEB robustness in silicon VDMOS power devices without relying on excessive derating. Full article
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16 pages, 6672 KB  
Article
The Impact of Self-Heating on Single-Event Transient Effect in Triple-Layer Stacked Nanosheets: A TCAD Simulation
by Yuanda Li, Jinshun Bi, Xuefei Liu, Abuduwayiti Aierken, Mingqiang Liu, Changsong Gao, Gang Wang, Degui Wang, Kelin Wang and Yundong Xuan
Electronics 2026, 15(1), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15010085 - 24 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1644
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of the self-heating effect (SHE) on single-event transient (SET) sensitivity in triple-layer stacked nanosheet transistors, using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations. The results demonstrate that SHE significantly elevates the channel lattice temperature under DC bias, leading to notable [...] Read more.
This study investigates the impact of the self-heating effect (SHE) on single-event transient (SET) sensitivity in triple-layer stacked nanosheet transistors, using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations. The results demonstrate that SHE significantly elevates the channel lattice temperature under DC bias, leading to notable degradation in DC performance metrics, including the drive current (ION) and the on/off current ratio. By employing a finer time resolution in the AC simulation, we observed that the device reaches thermal equilibrium on a picosecond timescale. Crucially, SHE is found to exacerbate SET sensitivity markedly. Compared to simulations without SHE, the presence of self-heating increases both the peak transient current and the collected charge at the drain terminal following heavy-ion strikes. Furthermore, the transient response is shown to depend on the thermal history; longer pre-strike heating times amplify the SET peak magnitude, whereas longer cooling times attenuate it. These findings underscore the critical importance of co-optimizing thermal management and radiation hardening in the design of advanced nanosheet technologies. Full article
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14 pages, 1989 KB  
Article
A Generic Neutron Analytical Spectrum and Soft-Error Rate for Nuclear Fusion Studies
by Jean-Luc Autran, Daniela Munteanu and Soilihi Moindjie
Electronics 2026, 15(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15010011 - 19 Dec 2025
Viewed by 786
Abstract
We present an analytical model for the lethargic neutron spectrum (ϕu(E), i.e., per unit of u=ln(E)), which is specifically suited to nuclear fusion environments. The spectrum is represented as the [...] Read more.
We present an analytical model for the lethargic neutron spectrum (ϕu(E), i.e., per unit of u=ln(E)), which is specifically suited to nuclear fusion environments. The spectrum is represented as the sum of three components: (i) a stretched Maxwellian thermal component, (ii) a windowed power-law epithermal plateau and (iii) a log-normal high-energy peak. While being simple and concise, this model allows for accurate fitting to experimental data or transport calculation results, as well as easy extrapolation for different operating conditions. We present the physical basis of the model and provide guidelines for adjusting it. We also demonstrate how it can accurately reproduce neutron spectra from experiments or Monte Carlo simulations that are representative of various nuclear fusion environments. Finally, we use this model to estimate the soft-error rate (SER) for circuits operating in fusion environments, considering, in addition, analytical forms for the single-event neutron cross-section of the circuit in the thermal and high-energy domains to derive analytical or semi-analytical expressions of the SER. Full article
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