Real-Time Characterization of Neutron-Induced SEUs in Fusion Experiments at WEST Tokamak during D-D Plasma Operation

Jean-Luc Autran (1) , Soilihi Moindjie (1) , Daniela Munteanu (1) , Martin Dentan (2) , Philippe Moreau (3) , Francis-Pierre P Pellissier (3) , Jérôme Bucalossi (3) , Gianluca Borgese (4) , Victor Malherbe (5) , Thomas Thery (5) , Gilles Gasiot (5) , Philipe Roche (5)

1 IM2NP - Institut des Matériaux, de Microélectronique et des Nanosciences de Provence
2 ITER - ITER organization
3 CEA - Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
4 Vitrociset S.p.a.
5 ST-CROLLES - STMicroelectronics [Crolles]

We conducted a real-time soft-error rate characterization of CMOS bulk 65 nm SRAMs subjected to fusion neutrons during deuterium-deuterium (D-D) plasma operation at WEST tokamak. The test equipment, installed in the experimental hall at several locations of the tokamak, was irradiated during machine shots by a flux of particles dominated by primary 2.45 MeV neutrons. Real-time neutron metrology, neutron spectrometry, complementary characterization with monoenergetic neutrons and Monte Carlo numerical simulations at both material and circuit levels have been also performed to analyze experimental data. Our results suggest that higher energy neutrons, simultaneously produced by deuterium-tritium (D-T) reactions due to triton burn up in the D-D plasma, play a significant role in the radiation response of the SRAMs for which multiple cell upsets are detected and cannot be attributed to D-D neutrons.

Mots clés: Fusion; tokamak; deuterium-deuterium; deuterium-tritium; neutron; single-event effects; single-event upset; SRAM; CMOS; real-time experiment; neutron spectrometry; numerical Monte Carlo simulation; TIARA; Geant4; singleevent upset

Domaines: Micro et nanotechnologies/Microélectronique

Jean-Luc Autran, Soilihi Moindjie, Daniela Munteanu, Martin Dentan, Philippe Moreau, et al.. Real-Time Characterization of Neutron-Induced SEUs in Fusion Experiments at WEST Tokamak during D-D Plasma Operation. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 2022, 69 (3), pp.1-1. ⟨10.1109/TNS.2022.3149160⟩. ⟨hal-03575419⟩