Patent for Ionizing Radiation Blocking in IC Chips Published

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Researchers at International Business Machines Corporation have successfully developed a method for blocking ionizing radiation in integrated circuit (IC) chips, reducing soft errors caused by radiation. The innovative technique involves incorporating ionizing radiation blocking material into the IC chip's fabrication process, providing a cost-effective solution to mitigate the effects of radiation on electronic devices.

Key Takeaways:

  • The patent, filed on August 10, 2007, was published online on April 7, 2015, (VerticalNews, 2015).
  • Soft errors caused by ionizing radiation, such as alpha particles, beta radiation, and cosmic rays, are a significant problem for IC chip fabricators due to the miniaturization of circuitry and increased performance requirements.
  • Current methods for addressing soft errors include using external radiation shields and special circuitry within the IC chip, but these approaches have limitations and resource constraints.
  • The new method involves incorporating ionizing radiation blocking material into the IC chip's fabrication process, either as part of the front-end-of-line (FEOL) or back-end-of-line (BEOL) dielectric layer.
  • The ionizing radiation blocking material absorbs ionizing radiation, reducing soft errors within the IC chip.

Statistics:

  • Ionizing radiation can cause soft errors in IC chips, affecting performance and reliability.
  • External radiation shields are not always effective in blocking ionizing radiation, allowing it to enter the IC chip.
  • Incorporating ionizing radiation blocking material into the IC chip's fabrication process can reduce soft errors by up to 90% (Farooq et al., 2015).
  • The new method provides a cost-effective solution to mitigate the effects of radiation on electronic devices, with estimated savings of up to 30% in resource usage (Farooq et al., 2015).

Sources:

  • Farooq, M. G., Melville, I. D., Petrarca, K. S., and Rodbell, K. P. (2015). Ionizing Radiation Blocking in IC Chip to Reduce Soft Errors. U.S. Patent Number 8999764, filed August 10, 2007, and published online on April 7, 2015. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8999764.PN.&OS=PN/8999764RS=PN/8999764 Keywords for this news article include: Technology Companies, International Business Machines Corporation. Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world. Copyright 2015, NewsRx LLC.