IROC at the TSMC Open Innovation Ecosystem Platform

Radiation is everywhere. Radiation contributes to Single Event Effects (SEE) in semiconductor circuits and packaging. As chips get larger, containing more functions, and using lower voltage to reduce power, SEEs have become more significant to product reliability, Failures In Time rates (FIT), and meantime between failures (MTBF).

The problem can begin in a single cell, which changes state when exposed to radiation, creating a fault which propagates to cause an end user application failure. This problem exists in memories and flip-flops but can also occur in combinational logic.

Additionally, SEEs are no longer a problem limited to space and avionics applications. These radiation effects also happen on Earth and affects our daily lives with potential significant consequences. The following events demonstrate why dealing with SEEs is of utmost importance.

Satellite Launch Failures:

On May 31, 2005, a satellite was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. However, it failed prematurely during the 5th orbit, representing a mere 2% of its intended operational use. The reason was identified as a latch-up condition in a SRAM. This incident emphasizes the critical role SEEs play in aerospace missions, where a single event can result in mission failure or costly consequences.

SRAM and Alpha Particles:

Research on SRAM susceptibility to alpha particles began in the 1970s. Despite decades of research and technological advancements, this problem remains still critical. This persistence highlights the need for continued vigilance and innovation in technologies to mitigate the impacts of SEE.

Alpha particles problems in CPUs:

In the 2000s, the presence of alpha-related issues surfaced in CPU cache memories, utilized in high-reliability servers.

Belgian Elections:

The 2003 Belgian elections are a stark reminder of the real-world impact of SEE. Electronic voting machines experienced serious problems with more votes being cast than the number of registered voters. This added 4096 votes, which could have serious implications for the integrity of election process.

IROC Mission:

Soft errors are a serious issue to consider in a wide range of applications requiring high levels of reliability and safety constraints such as automotive, medical, HPC, and aerospace.

IROC Technologies has been at the forefront of analyzing SEE and its mitigation in the semiconductor industry for 23 years. We can support you throughout your chip design and development. Our next big event participation will be at the TSMC OIP. You can find details in below.

Upcoming Events:

IROC Technologies will be participating to the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) Open Innovation Platform Ecosystem Forum taking place in Nanjing, China on November 15th.

Our presence at the TSMC event highlights the tremendous value of our long-standing partnership with TSMC, a customer and a solution partner to IROC EDA offering.

We would like to invite you to join us and have a discussion on how we can assist you in anticipating and addressing Soft-Errors on your SoC design and provide effective mitigation solutions. Soft-Errors is one of the most significant challenges for SoC designer today, especially in high-reliability applications. Early detection and mitigation strategies, from the cell level to the SoC level, are essential to improving security, safety, and reliability. IROC Technologies will help you save costs and reduce Time to Market in the process.

Save the date, November 15th, and make sure to visit us at our booth during the TSMC OIP. We impatiently look forward to your participation and engage a discussion on our partnership with TSMC and deep dive into our joint Soft-Error solutions.

Additionally, IROC Technologies will be giving a speech on the topic of ‘Soft-Error Analysis and Mitigation Framework’ at the TSMC NA Online OIP Ecosystem Forum on November 22nd. If you are unable to attend our in-person event or are located too far away, visit our virtual booth to hear our CEO Issam Nofal speak about the critical subject of Soft-Errors. We are enthusiastic about the opportunity to reconnect with our valued customers and the wider industry, and to jointly explore new area in semiconductor design and reliability.

Also Read:

Are you Aware about Risks Related to Soft Errors?

CEO Interview: Issam Nofal of IROC Technologies

IC to Systems Era