Mitigated Total Ionizing Dose Response of 16 nm p-FinFETs at Cryogenic Temperature

Cryogenic temperature and irradiation are challenges for electronic systems operating in deep space. This letter investigates the influence of cryogenic temperature (Cryo-T) on the total ionizing dose (TID) of 16-nm bulk Si p-FinFETs, exposed to <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">60</sup>Co γ rays up to 100 Mrad (Si) at 77K and room temperature (RT). Results emphasize Cryo-T mitigates TID degradation of p-FinFETs, with the saturation current degradation of only 13 % compared to 30 % at RT irradiation. Based on temperature cycling test and theoretical model simulation analysis, this unusual phenomenon arises from the limited number of holes to be trapped at Cryo-T and the mechanism is related to defect formation process, including hole generation, recombination and trapping. This work indicates that p-FinFETs exhibit enhanced radiation tolerance at Cryo-T, highlighting promising prospects for space missions to harsh environments.