Space and terrestrial radiation effects in flash memories

We present a comprehensive review of the effects of ionizing radiation on advanced flash memories. The effects of ionizing radiation as well as the mechanisms underlying the observed phenomena are thoroughly discussed on both floating gate cells and the complex control circuitry. The covered effects are relevant for all floating-gate based flash memories that require very high levels of reliability, from critical applications at the terrestrial level to radiation-harsh environments, such as space, nuclear power plants, and high-energy physics experiments.