Importance

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Abstract

The present invention provides a Single-Event-Upset (SEU) and Single-Event-Gate-Rupture (SEGR) protection against incident radiation for any bi-stable circuit either in one state, having a 2 transistor, 1 capacitor integrated circuit coupled to a bi-stable circuit's outputs, or in both states, having a 4 transistor, 2 capacitor integrated circuit coupled to the bi-stable circuit's outputs. The protection against SEU and SEGR is achieved by the 2T1C or the 4T2C circuits, by providing the opposite drive to the SEU or SEGR event through capacitive coupling, and shunting electron-hole pair current, created by an ion tracking through the bi-stable circuit, into the power supplies. The 2T1C integrated circuit architecture, which only protects bi-stable circuits in one state, is to allow the bi-stable circuit to be a Single-Event-Upset (SEU) detector by capturing the effect of an incident ion and store that state. The 2T1C architecture, while protecting the bi-stable circuit after it has been affected by incident radiation, can alert the system the bi-stable integrated circuit is embedded in, to compensate or at be aware that an Single-Event-Upset has occurred. The purpose of the 4T2C integrated circuit architecture, which protects bi-stable circuits in both stable states, is to allow for critical data/state retention in any radiation environment, while not effecting speed of operation.

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First Claim