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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 163 records · Page 9

Epitaxial and polycrystalline GaAs solar cells using OM-CVD techniques

GaAs epitaxial films were grown by chemical vapor deposition using organo-metallic sources (OM-CVD) on single crystal and polycrystalline bulk GaAs, as well as on bulk polycrystalline and recrystallized thin-film Ge substrates. Details of Antireflecting Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (AMOS) solar cells fabricated on GaAs films grown on bulk polycrystalline Ge and recrystallized Ge thin-film substrates will be discussed, as well as preliminary photovoltaic results obtained for n(+)/p homojunction structures.

Yeh, Y. C. M.↗

Finding Open Faults In CMOS Circuits

Algorithm specifies sequence of input test signals and interpretation of resulting output signals for identifying stuck-open faults in complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated logic circuits. Incorporated in software for online production testing of CMOS circuits.

Chandramouli, R.↗

VLSI technology and applications

Metal oxide semiconductor and GaAs devices are discussed. Digital and analog circuits are described. Applications to communications circuits are presented.

Schilling, D. L.↗

Compositional depth profile of a native oxide LPCVD MNOS structure using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and chemical etching

It is pointed out that there is no report of an unambiguous analysis of the composition and interfacial structure of MNOS (metal-nitride oxide semiconductor) systems, despite the technological importance of these systems. The present investigation is concerned with a study of an MNOS structure on the basis of a technique involving the use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with a controlled stopped-flow chemical-etching procedure. XPS is sensitive to the structure of surface layers, while stopped-flow etching permits the controlled removal of overlying material on a scale of atomic layers, to expose new surface layers as a function of thickness. Therefore, with careful analysis of observed intensities at measured depths, this combination of techniques provides depth resolution between 5 and 10 A. According to the obtained data there is intact SiO2 at the substrate interface. There appears to be a thin layer containing excess bonds to silicon on top of the SiO2.

Wurzbach, J. A.↗

Reed-Solomon Encoder

Report presents mathematical principles of Berlekamp bit serial multiplier algorithm and its application to design of very-large-scale integrated (VLSI) encoders for Reed-Solomon error-correcting codes. Structure made readily on single chip of negatively doped channel metal oxide semiconductor.

Troung, T. K.↗

A cryogenically cooled, multidetector spectrometer for infrared astronomy

A liquid helium-cooled, 24 detector grating spectrometer was developed and used for low resolution astronomical observations in the 5 to 14 micron spectral range. The instrument operated on the 91 cm Kuiper Airborne Observatory, the 3 m IRTF (Mauna Kea), the 3 m Shane telescope Observatory, the 3 m Shane telescope (Lick Observatory), and the 152 cm NASA and University of Arizona telescope. The detectors are discrete Si:Bi photoconductors with individual metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor preamplifiers operating at 4 K. The system uses a liquid helium-cooled slit, order-sorter filter, collimator mirror, grating, and camera mirror arranged in a Czerny-Turner configuration with a cold stop added between the collimator mirror and the grating. The distances between components are chosen so that the collimator mirror images the secondary mirror of the telescope onto the cold stop, thus providing a very effective baffle. Scattered radiation is effectively reduced by using liquid helium-cooled, black baffles to divide the spectrometer into three separate compartments. The system noise-equivalent flux density, when used on the 152 cm telescope from 8 to 13 microns with a resolving power of 50, is 4.4 x 10 to the minus 17th power W/sq cm micron square root of Hz. The main applications are for measuring continuum radiation levels and solid state emission and absorption features in regions of star and planet formation.

Witteborn, F. C.↗

Conceptual design of a hybrid Ge:Ga detector array

For potential applications in space infrared astronomy missions such as the Space Infrared Telescope Facility and the Large Deployable Reflector, integrated arrays of long-wavelength detectors are desired. The results of a feasibility study which developed a design for applying integrated array techniques to a long-wavelength (gallium-doped germanium) material to achieve spectral coverage between 30 and 200 microns are presented. An approach which builds up a two-dimensional array by stacking linear detector modules is presented. The spectral response of the Ge:Ga detectors is extended to 200 microns by application of uniaxial stress to the stack of modules. The detectors are assembled with 1 mm spacing between the elements. Multiplexed readout of each module is accomplished with integration sampling of a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) switch chip. Aspects of the overall design, including the anticipated level of particle effects on the array in the space environment, a transparent electrode design for 200 microns response, estimates of optical crosstalk, and mechanical stress design calculations are included.

Parry, C. M.↗

Latchup in CMOS devices from heavy ions

It is noted that complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) microcircuits are inherently latchup prone. The four-layer n-p-n-p structures formed from the parasitic pnp and npn transistors make up a silicon controlled rectifier. If properly biased, this rectifier may be triggered 'ON' by electrical transients, ionizing radiation, or a single heavy ion. This latchup phenomenon might lead to a loss of functionality or device burnout. Results are presented from tests on 19 different device types from six manufacturers which investigate their latchup sensitivity with argon and krypton beams. The parasitic npnp paths are identified in general, and a qualitative rationale is given for latchup susceptibility, along with a latchup cross section for each type of device. Also presented is the correlation between bit-flip sensitivity and latchup susceptibility.

Soliman, K.↗

Inherent overload protection for the series resonant converter

The overload characteristics of the full bridge series resonant power converter are considered. This includes analyses of the two most common control methods presently in use. The first of these uses a current zero crossing detector to synchronize the control signals and is referred to as the alpha controller. The second is driven by a voltage controlled oscillator and is referred to as the gamma controller. It is shown that the gamma controller has certain reliability advantages in that it can be designed with inherent short circuit protection. Experimental results are included for an 86 kHz converter using power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).

King, R. J.↗

FIFO Buffer for Asynchronous Data Streams

Variable-rate, asynchronous data signals from up to four measuring instruments or other sources combined in first-in/first-out (FIFO) buffer for transmission on single channel. Constructed in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) logic, buffer consumes low power (only 125 mW at 5V) and conforms to aerospace standards of reliability and maintainability.

Bascle, K. P.↗

Latchup in CMOS Integrated Circuits

Sensitivity to ion beams is studied. Latchup effect subject of paper presenting results of testing 19 types of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chips from six manufacturers. Report gives details of sensitivity of chips to latchup caused by argon and krypton ion beams. Identifies parasitic npnp paths and proides latchup cross section and qualitative explanation of latchup sensitivity for each chip type.

Soliman, K. A.↗

High-voltage, high-power, solid-state remote power controllers for aerospace applications

Two general types of remote power controller (RPC) that combine the functions of a circuit breaker and a switch were developed for use in direct-current (dc) aerospace systems. Power-switching devices used in these designs are the relatively new gate-turnoff thyristor (GTO) and poweer metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFET). The various RPC's can switch dc voltages to 1200 V and currents to 100 A. Seven different units were constructed and subjected to comprehensive laboratory and thermal vacuum testing. Two of these were dual units that switch both positive and negative voltages simultaneously. The RPC's using MOSFET's have slow turnon and turnoff times to limit voltage spiking from high di/dt. The GTO's have much faster transition times. All RPC's have programmable overload tripout and microsecond tripout for large overloads. The basic circuits developed can be used to build switchgear limited only by the ratings of the switching device used.

Sturman, J. C.↗

Si MOS devices at low temperatures

Low temperature operation of micron and submicron size Si MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors) results in their improved device characteristics. Various low temperature device properties such as increase in mobility, shift in the theshold voltage, increased reliability, etc., were considered. Other device characteristics such as the subthreshold behavior, delay times and miniaturization at low temperatures are discussed. Discussion includes presenting experimental results along with physical models explaining the observed effects.

Kamgar, A.↗

MOSFET and MOS capacitor responses to ionizing radiation

The ionizing radiation responses of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) field-effect transistors (FETs) and MOS capacitors are compared. It is shown that the radiation-induced threshold voltage shift correlates closely with the shift in the MOS capacitor inversion voltage. The radiation-induced interface-state density of the MOSFETs and MOS capacitors was determined by several techniques. It is shown that the presence of 'slow' states can interfere with the interface-state measurements.

Benedetto, J. M.↗

The VLSI design of error-trellis syndrome decoding for convolutional codes

A recursive algorithm using the error-trellis decoding technique is developed to decode convolutional codes (CCs). An example, illustrating the very large scale integration (VLSI) architecture of such a decode, is given for a dual-K CC. It is demonstrated that such a decoder can be realized readily on a single chip with metal-nitride-oxide-semiconductor technology.

Reed, I. S.↗

Capacitor-type micrometeoroid detectors

The metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitor micrometeroid detector consists of a thin dielectric capacitor fabricated on a silicon wafer. In operation, the device is charged to a voltage level sufficiently near breakdown that micrometeoroid impacts will cause dielectric deformation or heating and subsequent arc-over at the point of impact. Each detector is capable of recording multiple impacts because of the self-healing characteristics of the device. Support instrumentation requirements consist of a voltage source and pulse counters that monitor the pulse of recharging current following every impact. An investigation has been conducted in which 0.5 to 5 micron diameter carbonized iron spheres traveling at velocities of 4 to 10 Km/sec were impacted on to detectors with either a dielectric thickness of 0.4 or 1.0 micron. This study demonstrated that an ion microprobe tuned to sufficiently high resolution can detect Fe remaining on the detector after the impact. Furthermore, it is also possible to resolve Fe ion images free of mass interferences from Si, for example, giving its spatial distribution after impact. Specifically this technique has shown that significant amounts of impacting particles remain in the crater and near it which can be analyzed for isotopic content. Further testing and calibration could lead to quantitive analysis. This study has shown that the capacitor type micrometeroid detector is capable of not only time and flux measurements but can also be used for isotopic analysis.

Wortman, J. J.↗

A cryogenically cooled, multidetector spectrometer for infrared astronomy

A liquid helium-cooled, 24 detector grating spectrometer was developed and used for low resolution astronomical observations in the 5 to 14 micron spectral range. The instrument operated on the 91 cm Kuiper Airborne Observatory, the 3 m IRTF (Mauna Kea), the 3 m Shane telescope (Lick Observatory), and the 152 cm NASA and University of Arizona telescope. The detectors are discrete Si:Bi photoconductors with individual metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor preamplifiers operating at 4 K. The system uses a liquid helium-cooled slit, order-sorter filter, collimator mirror, grating, and camera mirror arranged in a Czerny-Turner configuration with a cold stop added between the collimator mirror and the grating. The distances between components are chosen so that the collimator mirror images the secondary mirror of the telescope onto the cold stop, thus providing a very effective baffle. Scattered radiation is effectively reduced by using liquid helium-cooled, black baffles to divide the spectrometer into three separate compartments. The system noise-equivalent flux density, when used on the 152 cm telescope from 8 to 13 microns with a resolving power of 50, is 4.4 x 10 to the minus 17th power W/sq cm micron square root of Hz. The main applications are for measuring continuum radiation levels and solid state emission and absorption features in regions of star and planet formation.

Witteborn, F. C.↗

Prototyping and implementing flight qualifiable semicustom CMOS P-well bulk integrated circuits in the JPL environment

Presently, there are many difficulties associated with implementing application specific custom or semi-custom (standard cell based) integrated circuits (ICs) into JPL flight projects. One of the primary difficulties is developing prototype semi-custom integrated circuits for use and evaluation in engineering prototype flight hardware. The prototype semi-custom ICs must be extremely cost-effective and yet still representative of flight qualifiable versions of the design. A second difficulty is encountered in the transport of the design from engineering prototype quality to flight quality. Normally, flight quality integrated circuits have stringent quality standards, must be radiation resistant and should consume minimal power. It is often not necessary or cost effective, however, to impose such stringent quality standards on engineering models developed for systems analysis in controlled lab environments. This article presents work originally initiated for ground based applications that also addresses these two problems. Furthermore, this article suggests a method that has been shown successful in prototyping flight quality semi-custom ICs through the Metal Oxide Semiconductor Implementation Service (MOSIS) program run by the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute. The method has been used successfully to design and fabricate through the MOSIS three different semi-custom prototype CMOS p-well chips. The three designs make use of the work presented and were designed consistent with design techniques and structures that are flight qualifiable, allowing one hour transfer of the design from engineering model status to flight qualifiable foundry-ready status through methods outlined in this article.

Olson, E. M.↗