Minimum dropout voltage on a serial pnp transistor of a moderately loaded voltage regulator in a gamma radiation field

Abstract

The main examined value in an experiment performed on moderately loaded voltage regulators was the serial pnp transistor?s minimum dropout voltage, followed by the data on the base current and forward emitter current gain. Minimum dropout voltage decreased by up to 12%, while the measured values of the forward emitter current gain decreased by 20-40% after the absorption of a total ionizing dose of 500 Gy. The oxide trapped charge increased the radiation tolerance of the serial lateral pnp transistor owing to the suppression of interface trap formation above the base area. Current flow through the serial transistor of the voltage regulator had an influence on the decrease in the power pnp transistor?s forward emitter current gain. Due to the operation with a moderate load of 100 mA, loss of emitter injection efficiency was not as important as during the operation with high current density, thus eliminating the negative influence of emitter crowding on the radiation hardness of the voltage regulator. For a moderate load, gain in the negative feedback reaction was enough to keep output voltage in the anticipated range. Only information procured from tests of the minimum dropout voltage on the moderately loaded voltage regulators were not sufficient for unequivocal determination of the examined integrated circuit?s radiation hardness.