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Lawton, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Lawton, R..

MEMS technology at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

The MEMS Technology Group is part of the Microdevices Laboratory (MDL) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The group pursues the development of a wide range of advanced MEMS technologies that are primarily applicable to NASA's robotic as well as manned exploration missions.

MEMS↗

MEMS Reliability Assurance Activities at JPL

An overview of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) reliability assurance and qualification activities at JPL is presented along with the a discussion of characterization of MEMS structures implemented on single crystal silicon, polycrystalline silicon, CMOS, and LIGA processes. Additionally, common failure modes and mechanisms affecting MEMS structures, including radiation effects, are discussed. Common reliability and qualification practices contained in the MEMS Reliability Assurance Guideline are also presented.

Kayali, S.↗

MEMS for Space Flight Applications

Micro-Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are entering the stage of design and verification to demonstrate the utility of the technology for a wide range of applications including sensors and actuators for military, space, medical, industrial, consumer, automotive and instrumentation products.

AFM infrared microscopy IR light emission microsco↗

Verification and Quantification of Single Event Effects on High Speed SRAM in Terrestrial Environments

As integrated circuits become more sensitive to charged particles and neutrons, anomalous performance due to single event effects (SEE) is a concern and requires experimental verification and quantification. The Center for Applied Radiation Research (CARR) at Prairie View A&M University has developed experiments as a participant in the NASA ER-2 Flight Program, the APEX balloon flight program and the Student Launch Program. Other high altitude and ground level experiments of interest to DoD and commercial applications are being developed. The experiment characterizes the SEE behavior of high speed and high density SRAM's. The system includes a PC-104 computer unit, an optical drive for storage, a test board with the components under test, and a latchup detection and reset unit. The test program will continuously monitor the stored checkerboard data pattern in the SW and record errors. Since both the computer and the optical drive contain integrated circuits, they are also vulnerable to radiation effects. A latchup detection unit with discrete components will monitor the test program and reset the system when necessary. The first results will be obtained from the NASA ER-2 flights, which are now planned to take place in early 1998 from Dryden Research Center in California. The series of flights, at altitudes up to 70,000 feet, and a variety of flight profiles should yield a distribution of conditions for correlating SEES. SEE measurements will be performed from the time of aircraft power-up on the ground throughout the flight regime until systems power-off after landing.

Huff, H.↗