A FORTIFIED FOURTEEN-TRANSISTOR STATIC MEMORY CELL WITH ENHANCED RESISTANCE TO RADIATION-INDUCED PERTURBATIONS

Abstract

Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) is a crucial element in contemporary VLSI systems, particularly in applications demanding high speed and low power. Nevertheless, SRAM cells operating in radiation-prone environments, such as space and satellite systems, are susceptible to soft errors, including Single Event Upsets (SEUs) and Double Node Upsets (DNUs). Conventional SRAM designs and some existing radiation-hardened architectures often fall short in ensuring full reliability under such conditions, highlighting the need for more robust solutions. This study examines an existing 14-transistor Radiation-Hardened by Design (RHBD) SRAM cell and introduces an enhanced Radiation-Hardened Speed-Performance optimized 14T (RSP-14T) SRAM cell. The proposed RSP-14T design improves write efficiency while providing superior resilience against radiationinduced disturbances. Both the existing and proposed SRAM cells are implemented and simulated using Tanner EDA tools, with their functionality, power consumption, and reliability thoroughly analyzed. Simulation results demonstrate that the RSP-14T SRAM cell outperforms the RHBD-14T cell, offering both enhanced speed and increased radiation tolerance.