SEU cross sections derived from a diffusion analysis

A simple theoretical prediction of single-event upset (SEU) cross section versus linear energy transfer (LET) is derived from a diffusion analysis, and the result is compared to some real device curves. It was found that at least some real device curves show two regimes. One regime (high-LET) is characterized by a very good fit to the theoretical prediction, and the other (low-LET) is characterized by a very bad fit. The existence of a high-LET regime provides additional credibility for the increasingly popular postulate that diffusion has an important effect on the shape of the cross-sectional curve.