Linear dependence of post-irradiation input bias currents on pre-irradiation values in silicon bipolar microcircuits

We find in experiments a linear dependence of ionization irradiation-induced degradations on pre-irradiation values of the input bias current in bipolar devices with simple input stages. The dependence is found to generally exist in all studied cases of different device types and different irradiation conditions. A unique behavior of the energy distribution of the interface states (Dit) under irradiation is suggested as the origin of the observed phenomenon: the generation of interface traps through the depassivation of SiH bonds located near the pre-irradiation interface traps displays a Dit as an enlargement of the initial Dit and results in the general linear dependence. A more accurate damage prediction method by using the pre-irradiation values is proposed based on the observed phenomenon.