Abstract: A model and a simulating method for calculating the proton Single Event Upset (SEU) cross section are presented by the analysis of proton reactions in silicon. The energies deposited by protons of various energies are calculated in sensitive volume in memory cell. It is pro posed that high energy proton SEU is greatly attributed to the recoils (heavy ions), produced by proton reactions in silicon, which deposit ener gy and induce charge in sensitive volume. The relations of the SEU cross section vs. proton energy and critical charge have been obtained. The calculation results are in agreement with the experimental data.

Key words: proton, single event upset, Monte Carlo simulation