Evaluation of the Radiation Hardness of Photodiodes in 180-nm CMOS Technology for Medical Applications

Radiation-hard photodiode structures implemented in medical applications are designed in 180-nm CMOS technology. Designed photodiodes were tested against total ionizing doses (TIDs) of 100, 200, and 400 Gy(Si), respectively, and they show high stability in terms of dark current characteristics. After TID of 400 Gy(Si), the dark current increased by up to 15%, compared to the unirradiated characteristics values. TCAD electrical simulations were performed and calibrated with the dark current measurements in order to explain the impact of generated defects due to ionizing radiation. Parameters that are used to model TID radiation have been varied in physical boundaries in order to achieve the desired fitting with the measurements. It is shown that due to the filling of acceptor interface traps with electrons, the space charge region extends, but the extension is limited and partially compensated by the fixed positive charges in the silicon nitride layer. The presented photodiodes result in the improved radiation hardness over the design in 350-nm CMOS technology.