A design concept for radiation hardened RADFET readout system for space applications

Instruments for measuring the absorbed dose and dose rate under radiation exposure, known as radiation dosimeters, are indispensable in space missions. They are composed of radiation sensors that generate current or voltage response when exposed to ionizing radiation, and processing electronics for computing the absorbed dose and dose rate. Among a wide range of existing radiation sensors, the Radiation Sensitive Field Effect Transistors (RADFETs) have unique advantages for absorbed dose measurement, and a proven record of successful exploitation in space missions. It has been shown that the RADFETs may be also used for the dose rate monitoring. In that regard, we propose a unique design concept that supports the simultaneous operation of a single RADFET as absorbed dose and dose rate monitor. This enables to reduce the cost of implementation, since the need for other types of radiation sensors can be minimized or eliminated. For processing the RADFET's response we propose a readout system composed of analog signal conditioner (ASC) and a self-adaptive multiprocessing system-on-chip (MPSoC). The soft error rate of MPSoC is monitored in real time with embedded sensors, allowing the autonomous switching between three operating modes (high-performance, de-stress and fault-tolerant), according to the application requirements and radiation conditions

Summer Institute in Biomedical Engineering, 1973

Bioengineering of medical equipment is detailed. Equipment described includes: an environmental control system for a surgical suite; surface potential mapping for an electrode system; the use of speech-modulated-white-noise to differentiate hearers and feelers among the profoundly deaf; the design of an automatic weight scale for an isolette; and an internal tibial torsion correction study. Graphs and charts are included with design specifications of this equipment

The Fifth NASA Symposium on VLSI Design

The fifth annual NASA Symposium on VLSI Design had 13 sessions including Radiation Effects, Architectures, Mixed Signal, Design Techniques, Fault Testing, Synthesis, Signal Processing, and other Featured Presentations. The symposium provides insights into developments in VLSI and digital systems which can be used to increase data systems performance. The presentations share insights into next generation advances that will serve as a basis for future VLSI design

Summer institute in biomedical engineering, 1973

Design and development work is reported for an air filter, an infant weight scale, multiple electrode cardiography, a white noise hearing aid, and a tibial torsion correction device

CMOS mobility-compensated time reference for crystal replacement

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica, Florianópolis, 2015.Apesar da existência de muitas alternativas para geração de base de tempo, não há ainda uma referencia de tempo totalmente integrável que possa oferecer simultaneamente alta precisão, baixa potência e custo de produção reduzido; portanto, não há uma referência de tempo ideal capaz de ter performance melhor do que os osciladores a quartzo disponíveis no mercado. O objetivo principal desse trabalho é de tentar encontrar uma solução em tecnologia CMOS de uma referencia de tempo capaz de substituir osciladores a quartzo na frequência de 32 kHz. Isso implica em projetar um oscilador de baixa potencia, alta precisão e que seja pouco sensível as variações de processo, de tensão e de temperatura. Os elementos básicos do oscilador de relaxação deste trabalho são um transistor zero-Vt que opera como resistor e uma fonte de corrente específica de transistor zero-Vt. Foi desenvolvido também um Schmitt trigger com entrada de corrente e uma fonte de corrente controlada por tensão capaz de acompanhar a variação de corrente devido as variações de processo, tensão e temperatura. As medidas do oscilador fabricados mostraram uma variação de +/- 30ppm/°C na faixa de temperatura de -20°C ate 80°C e uma variação menor do que +/- 500ppm/V para tensão de alimentação entre 0.7 V e 1.8 V. As medidas da estabilidade em frequência mostraram uma variação de +/- 500ppm para estabilidade de longo termo, e um jitter de 2 nano seconds para estabilidade curto termo.Abstract: Despite many alternatives for time generation, no CMOS fully-integrated time reference offers simultaneously high accuracy, low power consumption, and low cost, and, thus, no ideal time reference suitable to replace the xtalclockis available. The main aim of this work is to contribute to find a solution to this problem, which is to realize a low-cost, low-power CMOS time reference circuit that is insensitive to PVT (Process, Voltage, and Temperature) variations. The basic element of the relaxation oscillator is a zero-VtMOSFET that operates as a resistor and a current source which tracks the specific current of the zero-Vt transistor. The design presented here uses acurrent mode Schmitt trigger and a voltage controlled current source, which can track the current variation due to PVT variations. The frequency of oscillation, proportional to the mobility, is compensated by the thermal voltage. The proposed time reference, fabricated in a 180 nm CMOS technology has been designed for 32 kHz. Test and measurement results show a variation of +/- 30ppm/°C from -20°C to 80°C, and less than +/- 500ppm/V for a variation of the supply voltage between 0.7 V to 1.8 V. As regards frequency stability, measurements have shown a variation less than +/- 500ppm for long term stability, and an rms jitter of 2 nanoseconds (66 ppm) for short term stability

Development of a miniaturised particle radiation monitor for Earth orbit

Geometry and algorithm design for a novel highly miniaturised radiation monitor (HMRM) for spacecraft in medium Earth orbit are presented. The HMRM device comprises a telescopic configuration of application-specific active pixel sensors enclosed in a titanium shield, with an estimated total mass of 52 g and volume of 15 cm3. The monitor is intended to provide real-time dosimetry and identification of energetic charged particles in fluxes of up to 108 cm-2 s-1 (omnidirectional). Achieving this capability with such a small instrument could open new prospects for radiation detection in space. The methodology followed for the design and optimisation of the particle detector geometry is explained and analysis algorithms - for real-time use within the monitor and for post-processing reconstruction of spectra - are presented. Simulations with the Geant4 toolkit are used to predict operational results in various Earth orbits. Early test results of a prototype monitor, including calibration of the pixel sensors, are also reported.Open Acces

Disseny microelectrnic de circuits discriminadors de polsos pel detector LHCb

The aim of this thesis is to present a solution for implementing the front end system of the Scintillator Pad Detector (SPD) of the calorimeter system of the LHCb experiment that will start in 2008 at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. The requirements of this specific system are discussed and an integrated solution is presented, both at system and circuit level. We also report some methodological achievements. In first place, a method to study the PSRR (and any transfer function) in fully differential circuits taking into account the effect of parameter mismatch is proposed. Concerning noise analysis, a method to study time variant circuits in the frequency domain is presented and justified. This would open the possibility to study the effect of 1/f noise in time variants circuits. In addition, it will be shown that the architecture developed for this system is a general solution for front ends in high luminosity experiments that must be operated with no dead time and must be robust against ballistic deficit

FAST: a scintillating tracker for antiproton cross section measurements

A scintillating fiber tracker (FAST, Fiber Antiproton Scintillating Tracker) has been developed in the framework of the ASACUSA collaboration to perform a low energy antiproton cross section measurement at the Antiproton Decelerator at CERN; this PhD Thesis will discuss the design, the development, the commissioning of the FAST detector and the preliminary results of the data taking held in July 2007. Chap. 1 is a review of the topical results in Antiproton Physics during the last 50 years. Chap. 2 focuses on detectors; since the detector chosen for our experiment is a scintillating fiber tracker, the most advanced fiber detection systems are reviewed. Chap. 3 describes the detector, a 2500 channel scintillating fiber tracker readout by 42 multianode photomultipliers a custom electronics. The design has been validated with montecarlo simulations and with dedicated beam tests on prototypes. The tracker has been tested with cosmic rays to characterize the efficiency, the time resolution and the spatial resolution. Chap. 4 describes the commissioning phase and reports the results of the data collected on the Antiproton Decelerator. In the last Chap. 3 applications of the system developed for FAST in different physics fields are shown. The electronics has been used in Medical Physics, allowing a ToF neutron detection in a radiotherapic environment, in imaging applications, connected to a GEM pad detector and as a beam profile monitor with high rate capabilities at the CERN SPS H8 beam line

NASA Tech Briefs, May 1994

Topics covered include: Robotics/Automation; Electronic Components and Circuits; Electronic Systems; Physical Sciences; Materials; Computer Programs; Mechanics; Machinery/Automation; Manufacturing/Fabrication; Mathematics and Information Sciences; Life Sciences; Books and Reports

Topical Workshop on Electronics for Particle Physics

The purpose of the workshop was to present results and original concepts for electronics research and development relevant to particle physics experiments as well as accelerator and beam instrumentation at future facilities; to review the status of electronics for the LHC experiments; to identify and encourage common efforts for the development of electronics; and to promote information exchange and collaboration in the relevant engineering and physics communities