At 02:46 PM 5/5/1998 -0500, Gordon Couger wrote:
>>From time to time I have thought soft x-rays should erase OTP chips.
>has anyone tried it. A soft x-ray source can be made from a vacuum
>tube. If any one thinks it is sound I can probably set up a trial.
>
>Gordon
>
>

Soft x-ray sources are ** not ** a viable method of erasing "used" OTP
devices.  The exposure of OTP devices (or any other CMOS device, for that
matter) to ionizing radiation (which includes soft x-rays) of a sufficient
level (i.e. total dose) can lead to degradation in the performance of the
device and eventually to total malfunction.

It is not advisable to play around with x-ray sources of any kind, unless
you really know what you are doing.  Besides the high voltage hazards, you
might inadvertently expose yourself to harmful levels of x-rays.  We
wouldn't want anyone permanently erasing themselves, would we?  ;-)

Take the reliable (and safe) approach.  Instead of trying to erase OTP
devices, throw out the botched ones and buy new ones.

Regards,
Gary Pepper

e-mail: gpepper@capitalnet.com

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada