Altitude SEE Test European Platform
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The Altitude SEE Test European Platform (ASTEP) [1] is a permanent mountain laboratory and a dual academic research platform created by Aix-Marseille University, CNRS and STMicroelectronics in 2004. The current platform, operated by IM2NP Laboratory [2], is dedicated to the problematic of Single Event Effect (SEE) induced by Terrestrial radiation (atmospheric neutrons, protons and muons) in electronic components, circuits and systems. Located in the French Alps on the desert Plateau de Bure at 2552m (Dévoluy mountains), the platform is hosted by the IRAM Observatory [3]. ASTEP is fully operational since March 2006. The platform hosts long-term (several years) experiments in the domains of real-time testing, soft error characterization and metrology. ASTEP is also permanently equipped with a neutron monitor (referenced as the Plateau de Bure Neutron Monitor, PdBNM) and a muon monitor (Plateau de Bure Muon Monitor, PdBM2).
Geographic coordinates of the platform: Longitude: 5° 54' 26.2" E Latitude: 44° 38' 2.2" N Altitude: 2552m (ground level), 2555m (first floor)
Overview
Important dates
- 2004: The project of a permanent mountain laboratory dedicated to the issue of Single Event Effects (SEE) and Soft Errors (SE) in electronics is launched. The Plateau de Bure is finally chosen as the permanent localtion of the ASTEP platform. A host convention is signed between CNRS and IRAM to formalize the installation of the ASTEP platform on the Plateau de Bure.
- 2005: The ancient building "POM2" of the IRAM Observatory is fully rehabilitated by the City of Saint-Etienne en Dévoluy in order to host the scientific instruments of the platform. The first equipments are installed on site in September 2005. The permanent network connection between ASTEP and IM2NP Laboratory in Marseille is tested. In parallel, the first real-time (life testing) experiment dedicaded to the characterization of 130 nm SRAM memories is launched. The experimental setup is presented during a public conference on December at the General Council of Hautes Alpes in Gap.
- 2006: The 130 nm SRAM setup is installed on ASTEP in March 2006 and the measurements start on April 29, 2005. The first experimental measurements are presented at the European Workshop on Radiation and its Effects on Components and Systems (RADECS 2006) on 27–29 September, 2006, Glyfada, Athens, Greece. The ASTEP Platform is officially inaugurated at Saint-Etienne en Dévoluy and on the Plateau de Bure on July 5, 2005.
- 2007: The rehabilitation works of the first floor of the ASTEP building (ancient cupola of the POM2 building) are launched during the summer period. Works are therefore interrupted by the snow and bad weather conditions in October. The construction of a second setup dedicated to the real-time characterization of 65 nm SRAM memories is launched.
- 2008: The 65 nm setup is installed on ASTEP in January. Rehabilitation works resumed at the end of May 2008. The Plateau de Bure Neutron Monitor (PdBNM) is installed on the first floor of the ASTEP building on July 23, 2008. The instrument has been fully operational since this date. The first results concerning 65 nm SRAMs are presented at the European Workshop on Radiation and its Effects on Components and Systems (RADECS 2008) in Jyväskylä, Finland, in September 2008.
- 2009: High temperature tests (85°C) are conducted on the 65 nm SRAMs to investigate Single Event Latchup (SEL) and micro-latchup mechanisms.
- 2010: The ASTEP plaform and collaboration program is presented during an invited talk at ESREF 2010.
- 2011: A third real-time setup embedding more than 7 Gbits of 40nm SRAMs is designed and integrated. The setup is installed on ASTEP in March.The Plateau de Bure Muon Monitor (PdBM2), developed at IM2NP-CNRS laboratory in Marseille, is installed on the ASTEP platform during July/August. A new type of wafer-level characterization based on more than 50 Gbit of 90 nm NOR flash memories subjected to natural radiation is launched.
- 2012: The first results concerning the 40nm SRAM experiment are presented at the International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS 2012) in Anaheim, CA, USA. Additional results concerning thermal neutron sensitivity of these 40nm SRAMs are presented at the IEEE NSREC 2012 Conference.
- 2013: The first results concerning the characterization of flash memories subjected to natural radiation are presented at the International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS 2013) in Monterey, CA, USA.
Plateau de Bure Neutron Monitor (PdBNM)
The PdBNM is a super 3-NM64 neutron monitor based on three high pressure (2280 Torr) cylindrical He3 detectors. Each tube is surrounded by a 25mm coaxial polyethylene tube (neutron moderator) and by coaxial thick (50mm) lead rings (secondary neutron producers); all these elements are placed inside a 80mm thick polyethylene box to reject low energy (thermal) neutrons produced in the close vicinity of the instrument. An electronic detection chain composed of three charge amplifiers and a high voltage source was chosen in complement to a USB acquisition module for interfacing the neutron monitor with the control PC. The instrument has been operational on site since July 23, 2008. It provides real-time data about the mean neutron flux (induced by cosmic rays) incident on the ASTEP platform. This information is of prime importance in SER experiments to correlate soft-error occurence and neutron flux variations exactly measured at the same location. PdBNM photo, publications and complete data can be downloaded from the ASTEP website [1].
Plateau de Bure Muon Monitor (PdBM2)
The PdBM2 consists of two large area (1 m2) plastic scintillator panels separated by 10 cm of lead. The incident cosmic ray-induced muons loose a fraction of their energy in the scintillator materials, resulting in a short light pulse. Low energy particles are stopped by the lead whereas particles with energies higher than a certain energy threshold can travel through the lead and impact the second panel. The signal is optically detected at the level of each panel with a photomultiplier; a coincidence unit is used to detect pulses within a 10 ns time window, signature of high energy charged particles. This monitor offers a real-time muon (and atmospheric charged particles) flux monitoring (1 measurement/minute) in parallel to the neutron monitor. Additional information, photos and complete data can be downloaded from the ASTEP website [1].
Natural Radiation Environment
From a geomagnetic point-of-view, the ASTEP site is characterized by a cutoff rigidity of 5 GV; the natural neutron flux is approximately 6 times higher that the reference flux measured at sea-level (New-York City). This value (also called “acceleration factor” with respect to the gain that we can expect on the duration of real-time experiments performed in altitude instead of at sea-level) has been precisely measured in 2008, taking the opportunity of the construction of the Plateau de Bure Neutron Monitor. Assembled and previously operated in Marseille during the year 2007-2008, the PdBNM was transported and installed on the Plateau de Bure in July 2008. With strictly the same setup, two series of data were thus recorded in Marseille and on the Plateau de Bure: the difference between the counting rates and barometric coefficients for the two locations allowed to directly evaluate the acceleration factor of ASTEP with respect to Marseille location, here estimated to 6.7. Taking into account latitude, longitude and altitude corrections for Marseille location with respect to New-York City (the reference place in the world for standardization purposes with a flux of 20 neutrons/cm2/h above 1 MeV), the final value of the acceleration factor was AF=6.7x0.94≈6.3 for July 2008. Since this date and due to the natural variations of the Solar cycle, this acceleration factor was reevaluated to 6.08 in 2011 and to 6.02 in 2012.
References
Related publications
- J.L. Autran et al. “Altitude SEE Test European Platform (ASTEP) and First Results in CMOS 130nm SRAM”, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 2007, Vol. 54, n°4, p. 1002-1009.
- J.L. Autran et al. “Real-Time Neutron and Alpha Soft-Error Rate Testing of CMOS 130nm SRAM: Altitude versus Underground Measurements”, International Conference on IC Design & Technology, May 2008.
- J.L. Autran et al. “Altitude and Underground Real-Time SER Characterization of CMOS 65nm SRAM“. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science,v2009, Vol. 56, N°4, p. 2258-2266.
- J.L. Autran et al. “Soft-errors induced by terrestrial neutrons and natural alpha-particle emitters in advanced memory circuits at ground level”, Microelectronics Reliability, 2010, Vol. 50, p. 1822-1831.
- J.L. Autran & J.L. Leray, Dossier thématique “Effets des radiations naturelles sur l’électronique au niveau atmosphérique et terrestre”, Revue de l’Electricité et de l’Electronique, Mars 2010.
- J.L. Autran et al. “Real-Time Soft-Error Rate Characterization of Advanced SRAMs”, in “Radiation Effects in Semiconductors”, Edited by K. Iniewski (CRC Press), 2010.
- J.L. Autran et al. "Soft-Error Rate of Advanced SRAM Memories: Modeling and Monte Carlo Simulation", in Numerical Simulation - From Theory to Industry, Dr. Mykhaylo Andriychuk (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-0749-1, InTech, 2012.
- J.L. Autran et al., “Real-Time Soft-Error Testing of 40nm SRAMs”, IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium, Avril 2012, 3C-5.
- J.L. Autran et al., “Soft-Error Rate Induced by Thermal and Low Energy Neutrons in 40 nm SRAMs", IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 2012, Vol. 59, N°6, p. 2658 - 2665.
- G. Just et al., “Soft Errors Induced by Natural Radiation at Ground Level in Floating Gate Flash Memories”, IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium, Avril 2013, 3D-4.
