Radiation-induced 1/f noise degradation of PNP bipolar junction transistors at different dose rates

It is found that ionizing-radiation can lead to the base current and the 1/f noise degradations in PNP bipolar junction transistors. In this paper, it is suggested that the surface of the space charge region of the emitter-base junction is the main source of the base surface 1/f noise. A model is developed which identifies the parameters and describes their interactive contributions to the recombination current at the surface of the space charge region. Based on the theory of carrier number fluctuation and the model of surface recombination current, a 1/f noise model is developed. This model suggests that 1/f noise degradations are the result of the accumulation of oxide-trapped charges and interface states. Combining models of ELDRS, this model can explain the reason why the 1/f noise degradation is more severe at a low dose rate than at a high dose rate. The radiations were performed in a Co~(60) source up to a total dose of 700 Gy(Si). The low dose rate was 0.001 Gy(Si)/s and the high dose rate was 0.1 Gy(Si)/s. The model accords well with the experimental results.