Setup for an Experimental Study of Radiation Effects in 65nm CMOS

Integrated circuit modeling, Field programmable gate arrays, Particle beams, Radiation effects, Transistors, Atmospheric modeling, Very large scale integration

Physical radiation experiments are a vital means for calibrating simulation models targeted to studying the impact of ionizing particles on VLSI circuits. However, their conduction requires special care and a very specific setup. In this paper we give an overview of such an experimental setup, and highlight some specific details. Beyond showing the context overarching the objectives of the experiments, the envisioned radiation sources, as well as design and architecture of a specific target ASIC, we will put specific emphasis on the communication infrastructure, namely an FPGA that controls the data exchange between some preprocessing infrastructure located on the target ASIC on one side and the host PC running the data analysis on the other. Finally, the physical arrangement comprising carrier PCB for the target ASIC, and cabling, which need to adhere specific requirements, will receive some attention as well.