US Patent 7566951 Silicon structures with improved resistance to radiation events

A silicon structure with improved protection against failures induced by excess radiation-induced charge carrier migration from the bulk region into the near-surface region. The structure comprises bulk and near-surface regions that are doped with a dopant, wherein the concentration in the near-surface region is at least 10 times the maximum concentration, c, of dopant in the bulk region. The structure further comprises a transition region between the bulk and near-surface regions extending less than about 1 μm from the near-surface region toward the central plane.