Hardening electronic devices against very high total dose radiation environments

The possibilities and limitations of hardening silicon semiconductor devices to the high neutron and gamma radiation levels and greater than 10 to the eighth power rads required for the NERVA nuclear engine development are discussed. A comparison is made of the high dose neutron and gamma hardening potential of bipolar, metal insulator semiconductors and junction field effect transistors. Experimental data is presented on device degradation for the high neutron and gamma doses. Previous data and comparisons indicate that the JFET is much more immune to the combined neutron displacement and gamma ionizing effects than other transistor types. Experimental evidence is also presented which indicates that p channel MOS devices may be able to meet the requirements

Characterization and modeling of radiation effects NASA/MSFC semiconductor devices

A literature review of the near-Earth trapped radiation of the Van Allen Belts, the radiation within the solar system resulting from the solar wind, and the cosmic radiation levels of deep space showed that a reasonable simulation of space radiation, particularly the Earth orbital environment, could be simulated in the laboratory by proton bombardment. A 3 MeV proton accelerator was used to irradiate CMOS integrated circuits fabricated from three different processes. The drain current and output voltage for three inverters was recorded as the input voltage was swept from zero to ten volts after each successive irradiation. Device parameters were extracted. Possible damage mechanisms are discussed and recommendations for improved radiation hardness are suggested