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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 217 records · Page 12

On the use of Lineal Energy Measurements to Estimate Linear Energy Transfer Spectra

This paper examines the error resulting from using a lineal energy spectrum to represent a linear energy transfer spectrum for applications in the space radiation environment. Lineal energy and linear energy transfer spectra are compared in three diverse but typical space radiation environments. Different detector geometries are also studied to determine how they affect the error. LET spectra are typically used to compute dose equivalent for radiation hazard estimation and single event effect rates to estimate radiation effects on electronics. The errors in the estimations of dose equivalent and single event rates that result from substituting lineal energy spectra for linear energy spectra are examined. It is found that this substitution has little effect on dose equivalent estimates in interplanetary quiet-time environment regardless of detector shape. The substitution has more of an effect when the environment is dominated by solar energetic particles or trapped radiation, but even then the errors are minor especially if a spherical detector is used. For single event estimation, the effect of the substitution can be large if the threshold for the single event effect is near where the linear energy spectrum drops suddenly. It is judged that single event rate estimates made from lineal energy spectra are unreliable and the use of lineal energy spectra for single event rate estimation should be avoided.

Adams, David A.↗

Heavy Ion Irradiation Fluence Dependence for Single-Event Upsets in a NAND Flash Memory

We investigated the single-event effect (SEE) susceptibility of the Micron 16 nm NAND flash, and found that the single-event upset (SEU) cross section varied inversely with cumulative fluence. We attribute the effect to the variable upset sensitivities of the memory cells. Furthermore, the effect impacts only single cell upsets in general. The rate of multiple-bit upsets remained relatively constant with fluence. The current test standards and procedures assume that SEU follow a Poisson process and do not take into account the variability in the error rate with fluence. Therefore, traditional SEE testing techniques may underestimate the on-orbit event rate for a device with variable upset sensitivity.

NAND flash memory↗

The Impact on Space Radiation Requirements and Effects on ASIMS

The evolution of highly miniaturized electronic and mechanical systems will be accompanied by new problems and issues regarding the radiation response of these systems in the space environment. In this paper we discuss some of the more prominent radiation problems brought about by miniaturization. For example, autonomous micro-spacecraft will require large amounts of high density memory, most likely in the form of stacked, multichip modules of DRAM's, that must tolerate the radiation environment. However, advanced DRAM's (16 to 256 Mbit) are quite susceptible to radiation, particularly single event effects, and even exhibit new radiation phenomena that were not a problem for older, less dense memory chips. Another important trend in micro-spacecraft electronics is toward the use of low-voltage microelectronic systems that consume less power. However, the reduction in operating voltage also caries with it an increased susceptibility to radiation. In the case of application specific integrated microcircuits (ASIM's), advanced devices of this type, such as high density field programmable gate arrays (FPGA's) exhibit new single event effects (SEE), such as single particle reprogramming of anti-fuse links. New advanced bipolar circuits have been shown recently to degrade more rapidly in the low dose rate space environment than in the typical laboratory total dose radiation test used to qualify such devices. Thus total dose testing of these parts is no longer an appropriately conservative measure to be used for hardness assurance. We also note that the functionality of micromechanical Si-based devices may be altered due to the radiation-induced deposition of charge in the oxide passivation layers.

Barnes, C.↗

Analyzing System on A Chip Single Event Upset Responses using Single Event Upset Data, Classical Reliability Models, and Space Environment Data

We are investigating the application of classical reliability performance metrics combined with standard single event upset (SEU) analysis data. We expect to relate SEU behavior to system performance requirements. Our proposed methodology will provide better prediction of SEU responses in harsh radiation environments with confidence metrics. single event upset (SEU), single event effect (SEE), field programmable gate array devises (FPGAs)

single event effect (SEE)↗

Radiation 101: Effects on Hardware and Robotic Systems

We present basic information on different types of radiation effects, including total ionizing dose, displacement damage, and single-event effects. The content is designed to educate space weather professionals, space operations professionals, and other science and engineering stakeholders.

radiation effects↗

Radiation 101: Effects on Hardware and Robotic Systems

We present basic information on different types of radiation effects, including total ionizing dose, displacement damage, and single-event effects. The content is designed to educate space weather professionals, space operations professionals, and other science and engineering stakeholders.

non-ionizing energy loss (NIEL)↗

Radiation Effects on DC-DC Converters

In this work, several DC-DC converters were designed and built. The converters are Buck Buck-Boost, Cuk, Flyback, and full-bridge zero-voltage switched. The total ionizing dose radiation and single event effects on the converters were investigated. The experimental results for the TID effects tests show that the voltages of the Buck Buck-Boost, Cuk, and Flyback converters increase as total dose increased when using power MOSFET IRF250 as a switching transistor. The change in output voltage with total dose is highest for the Buck converter and the lowest for Flyback converter. The trend of increase in output voltages with total dose in the present work agrees with those of the literature. The trends of the experimental results also agree with those obtained from PSPICE simulation. For the full-bridge zero-voltage switch converter, it was observed that the dc-dc converter with IRF250 power MOSFET did not show a significant change of output voltage with total dose. In addition, for the dc-dc converter with FSF254R4 radiation-hardened power MOSFET, the output voltage did not change significantly with total dose. The experimental results were confirmed by PSPICE simulation that showed that FB-ZVS converter with IRF250 power MOSFET's was not affected with the increase in total ionizing dose. Single Event Effects (SEE) radiation tests were performed on FB-ZVS converters. It was observed that the FB-ZVS converter with the IRF250 power MOSFET, when the device was irradiated with Krypton ion with ion-energy of 150 MeV and LET of 41.3 MeV-square cm/mg, the output voltage increased with the increase in fluence. However, for Krypton with ion-energy of 600 MeV and LET of 33.65 MeV-square cm/mg, and two out of four transistors of the converter were permanently damaged. The dc-dc converter with FSF254R4 radiation hardened power MOSFET's did not show significant change at the output voltage with fluence while being irradiated by Krypton with ion energy of 1.20 GeV and LET of 25.97 MeV-square cm/mg. This might be due to fact that the device is radiation hardened.

Zhang, De-Xin↗

Proton Effects and Test Issues for Satellite Designers: Ionization Effects - Section 4

This portion of the Short Course is divided into two segments to separately address the two major proton-related effects confronting satellite designers: ionization effects and displacement damage effects. While both of these topics are deeply rooted in "traditional" descriptions of space radiation effects, there are several factors at play to cause renewed concern for satellite systems being designed today. For example, emphasis on Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technologies in both commercial and government systems increases both Total Ionizing Dose (TID) and Single Event Effect (SEE) concerns. Scaling trends exacerbate the problems, especially with regard to SEEs where protons can dominate soft error rates and even cause destructive failure. In addition, proton-induced displacement damage at fluences encountered in natural space environments can cause degradation in modern bipolar circuitry as well as in many emerging electronic and opto-electronic technologies. A crude, but nevertheless telling, indication of the level of concern for proton effects follows from surveying the themes treated in papers presented at this conference. The table lists themes found in the IEEE Transaction on Nuclear Science (TNS) December issue from the past year and compares them with the December issue's content a decade earlier. Ten years ago there were nine papers, or about 10% of the total, dealing with the four indicated topics. At that time, single event effects from protons were the primary concern, and these were thought to be possible only when a nuclear reaction initiated energetic recoil atoms. This is shown in the table as the 'traditional" SEE subject. A decade later, submissions addressing this topic had doubled, while papers devoted to displacement damage studies had increased from one to nine! More importantly, displacement damage effects in the natural space environments have become a concern for degradation in modern devices (other than solar cells), and this was not so ten years earlier.

Marshall, Paul W.↗

Board Level Proton Testing Book of Knowledge for NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging Program

This book of knowledge (BoK) provides a critical review of the benefits and difficulties associated with using proton irradiation as a means of exploring the radiation hardness of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) systems. This work was developed for the NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Board Level Testing for the COTS task. The fundamental findings of this BoK are the following. The board-level test method can reduce the worst case estimate for a board's single-event effect (SEE) sensitivity compared to the case of no test data, but only by a factor of ten. The estimated worst case rate of failure for untested boards is about 0.1 SEE/board-day. By employing the use of protons with energies near or above 200 MeV, this rate can be safely reduced to 0.01 SEE/board-day, with only those SEEs with deep charge collection mechanisms rising this high. For general SEEs, such as static random-access memory (SRAM) upsets, single-event transients (SETs), single-event gate ruptures (SEGRs), and similar cases where the relevant charge collection depth is less than 10 μm, the worst case rate for SEE is below 0.001 SEE/board-day. Note that these bounds assume that no SEEs are observed during testing. When SEEs are observed during testing, the board-level test method can establish a reliable event rate in some orbits, though all established rates will be at or above 0.001 SEE/board-day. The board-level test approach we explore has picked up support as a radiation hardness assurance technique over the last twenty years. The approach originally was used to provide a very limited verification of the suitability of low cost assemblies to be used in the very benign environment of the International Space Station (ISS), in limited reliability applications. Recently the method has been gaining popularity as a way to establish a minimum level of SEE performance of systems that require somewhat higher reliability performance than previous applications. This sort of application of the method suggests a critical analysis of the method is in order. This is also of current consideration because the primary facility used for this type of work, the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF) (also known as the Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT) hall), has closed permanently, and the future selection of alternate test facilities is critically important. This document reviews the main theoretical work on proton testing of assemblies over the last twenty years. It augments this with review of reported data generated from the method and other data that applies to the limitations of the proton board-level test approach. When protons are incident on a system for test they can produce spallation reactions. From these reactions, secondary particles with linear energy transfers (LETs) significantly higher than the incident protons can be produced. These secondary particles, together with the protons, can simulate a subset of the space environment for particles capable of inducing single event effects (SEEs). The proton board-level test approach has been used to bound SEE rates, establishing a maximum possible SEE rate that a test article may exhibit in space. This bound is not particularly useful in many cases because the bound is quite loose. We discuss the established limit that the proton board-level test approach leaves us with. The remaining possible SEE rates may be as high as one per ten years for most devices. The situation is actually more problematic for many SEE types with deep charge collection. In cases with these SEEs, the limits set by the proton board-level test can be on the order of one per 100 days. Because of the limited nature of the bounds established by proton testing alone, it is possible that tested devices will have actual SEE sensitivity that is very low (e.g., fewer than one event in 1 × 10(exp 4) years), but the test method will only be able to establish the limits indicated above. This BoK further examines other benefits of proton board-level testing besides hardness assurance. The primary alternate use is the injection of errors. Error injection, or fault injection, is something that is often done in a simulation environment. But the proton beam has the benefit of injecting the majority of actual SEEs without risk of something being missed, and without the risk of simulation artifacts misleading the SEE investigation.

Guertin, Steven M.↗

Estimates of SEU rates from heavy ions in devices exhibiting dual-node susceptibility

A single-event effect (SEE) occurs when a single ionizing particle passing through an electronic device produces a detectable event in the device. The type of SEE most frequently discussed in the literature is a "single-node upset" problem in which an upset at a given node depends only on conditions seen by that node. In contrast, some devices are designed so that an upset becomes a "dual-node" problem in which a device upset depends on conditions simultaneously seen by two nodes. This report derives a method for estimating heavy-ion induced upset rates for the dual-node problem.

Edmonds, Larry D.↗

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Recent Radiation Effects Test Results

Total ionizing dose, displacement damage dose, and single event effects testing were performed to characterize and determine the suitability of candidate electronics for NASA space utilization. Devices tested include FPGAs, optoelectronics, digital, analog, and bipolar devices.

Single-Event Effects (SEE)↗

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Compendium of Radiation Effects Test Results

Total ionizing dose, displacement damage dose, and single event effects testing were performed to characterize and determine the suitability of candidate electronics for NASA space utilization. Devices tested include FETs, flash memory, FPGAs, optoelectronics, digital, analog, and bipolar devices.

Single Event Effects (SEE)↗

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Compendium of Radiation Effects Test Results

Total ionizing dose, displacement damage dose, and single event effects testing were performed to characterize and determine the suitability of candidate electronics for NASA space utilization. Devices tested include FETs, flash memory, FPGAs, optoelectronics, digital, analog, and bipolar devices.

Single Event Effects (SEE)↗

Total Dose Effects on Single Event Transients in Linear Bipolar Systems

Single Event Transients (SETs) originating in linear bipolar integrated circuits are known to undermine the reliability of electronic systems operating in the radiation environment of space. Ionizing particle radiation produces a variety of SETs in linear bipolar circuits. The extent to which these SETs threaten system reliability depends on both their shapes (amplitude and width) and their threshold energies. In general, SETs with large amplitudes and widths are the most likely to propagate from a bipolar circuit's output through a subsystem. The danger these SET pose is that, if they become latched in a follow-on circuit, they could cause an erroneous system response. Long-term exposure of linear bipolar circuits to particle radiation produces total ionizing dose (TID) and/or displacement damage dose (DDD) effects that are characterized by a gradual degradation in some of the circuit's electrical parameters. For example, an operational amplifier's gain-bandwidth product is reduced by exposure to ionizing radiation, and it is this reduction that contributes to the distortion of the SET shapes. In this paper, we compare SETs produced in a pristine LM124 operational amplifier with those produced in one exposed to ionizing radiation for three different operating configurations - voltage follower (VF), inverter with gain (IWG), and non-inverter with gain (NIWG). Each configuration produces a unique set of transient shapes that change following exposure to ionizing radiation. An important finding is that the changes depend on operating configuration; some SETs decrease in amplitude, some remain relatively unchanged, some become narrower and some become broader.

Buchner, Stephen↗

CREME96 and Related Error Rate Prediction Methods

Predicting the rate of occurrence of single event effects (SEEs) in space requires knowledge of the radiation environment and the response of electronic devices to that environment. Several analytical models have been developed over the past 36 years to predict SEE rates. The first error rate calculations were performed by Binder, Smith and Holman. Bradford and Pickel and Blandford, in their CRIER (Cosmic-Ray-Induced-Error-Rate) analysis code introduced the basic Rectangular ParallelePiped (RPP) method for error rate calculations. For the radiation environment at the part, both made use of the Cosmic Ray LET (Linear Energy Transfer) spectra calculated by Heinrich for various absorber Depths. A more detailed model for the space radiation environment within spacecraft was developed by Adams and co-workers. This model, together with a reformulation of the RPP method published by Pickel and Blandford, was used to create the CR ME (Cosmic Ray Effects on Micro-Electronics) code. About the same time Shapiro wrote the CRUP (Cosmic Ray Upset Program) based on the RPP method published by Bradford. It was the first code to specifically take into account charge collection from outside the depletion region due to deformation of the electric field caused by the incident cosmic ray. Other early rate prediction methods and codes include the Single Event Figure of Merit, NOVICE, the Space Radiation code and the effective flux method of Binder which is the basis of the SEFA (Scott Effective Flux Approximation) model. By the early 1990s it was becoming clear that CREME and the other early models needed Revision. This revision, CREME96, was completed and released as a WWW-based tool, one of the first of its kind. The revisions in CREME96 included improved environmental models and improved models for calculating single event effects. The need for a revision of CREME also stimulated the development of the CHIME (CRRES/SPACERAD Heavy Ion Model of the Environment) and MACREE (Modeling and Analysis of Cosmic Ray Effects in Electronics). The Single Event Figure of Merit method was also revised to use the solar minimum galactic cosmic ray spectrum and extended to circular orbits down to 200 km at any inclination. More recently a series of commercial codes was developed by TRAD (Test & Radiations) which includes the OMERE code which calculates single event effects. There are other error rate prediction methods which use Monte Carlo techniques. In this chapter the analytic methods for estimating the environment within spacecraft will be discussed.

Adams, James H., Jr.↗