Specification and Verification of Soft Error Performance in Reliable Electronic Systems

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter describes the modeling, analysis, and verification methods used to achieve a reliability target set for transient outages in equipment used to build the backbone routing infrastructure of the Internet. We focus on ASIC design and analysis techniques that were undertaken to achieve the targeted behavior using the 65-nm technology. Considerable attention is paid to Single Event Upset in flip-flops and their potential to produce network impacting events that are not systematically detected and controlled. Using random fault injection in large-scale RTL simulations, and slack time distributions from static timing analysis, estimates of functional and temporal soft error masking effects were applied to a system soft error model to drive decisions on interventions such as the choice of flip-flops, parity protection of registers groupings, and designed responses to detected upsets. Central to the design process is a modeling framework that accounts for the upset effects and relates them to the target specification. This enables the final system to be tested using large area neutron beam radiation to confirm the specification has been met.