Nuclear Reactions in Semiconductors

Soft upsets in semiconductor memory devices can be produced by charged particles produced in nuclear reactions in the semiconductor or in its surrounding materials. We have calculated the particle production cross sections for incident neutrons and protons in various semiconductor materials in the energy range of 5 to 75 MeV. The common semiconductor elements and compounds all have approximately the same alpha particle production. There is also appreciable proton and heavy ion production which under some conditions may cause upsets.