SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND ASSURANCE MODELING (SEAM): A WEB-BASED SOLUTION FOR INTEGRATED MISSION ASSURANCE

We present an overview of the Systems Engineering and Assurance Modeling (SEAM) platform, a web-browser-based tool which is designed to help engineers evaluate the radiation vulnerabilities and develop an assurance approach for electronic parts in space systems. The SEAM framework consists of three interconnected modeling tools, a SysML compatible system description tool, a Goal Structuring Notation (GSN) visual argument tool, and Bayesian Net and Fault Tree extraction and export tools. The SysML and GSN sections also have a coverage check application that ensures that every radiation fault identified on the SysML side is also addressed in the assurance case in GSN. The SEAM platform works on space systems of any degree of radiation hardness but is especially helpful for assessing radiation performance in systems with commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) electronic components

Connecting Mission Profiles and Radiation Vulnerability Assessment

Radiation vulnerability assessment early in spacecraft development is cheaper and faster than in late development phases. RGENTIC and SEAM are two software platforms that can be coupled to provide this type of early assessment. Specifically, RGENTIC is a tool that outputs descriptions of radiation risks based on a selected mission environment and the system’s electronic part portfolio, while SEAM models how radiation-induced faults in electronic parts propagate through a system. In this work, we propose a spacecraft evaluation flow where RGENTIC’s outputs, which are radiation vulnerabilities of electronic parts for a given mission, become inputs to SEAM, resulting in an automatic part-type template palette presented to users so that they can easily begin modeling the occurrence and propagation of radiation-induced faults in their spacecraft. In this context, fault propagation modeling shows how radiation effects impact the spacecraft’s electronics. The interface between these platforms can be streamlined through the creation of a SEAM global part-type library with templates based on radiation effects in part-type families such as sensors, processors, voltage regulators, and so forth. Several of the part-types defined in RGENTIC have been integrated into SEAM templates. Ultimately, all 66+ part-types from the RGENTIC look-up table will be included in the SEAM global part library. Once accomplished, the part templates can be used to populate each project-specific part library in SEAM, ensuring all RGENTIC’s part-types are represented, and the radiation effects are consistent between the two. The harmonization process between RGENTIC and SEAM begins as follows: designers input a detailed knowledge of their system and mission into RGENTIC, which then outputs a generic part-type list that associates each part-type with potential radiation concerns. The list is then downloaded in a SEAM-readable file, which SEAM uses to populate the initially blank project with the part templates that correspond to RGENTIC’s output. The final product is a system fault model using a project-specific radiation effect part library. The radiation effects considered in the part library are associated with three categories of radiation-environment issues: single event effects (SEE), total ionizing dose (TID), and displacement damage dose (DDD). An example part-type is the discrete LED, which has been functionally decomposed into input power and output light. It has a single possible radiation-induced fault that is associated with DDD, which causes degraded brightness and is observed on the output. Overall, designers will benefit from a coordination of these two tools because it simplifies the initial definition of the project in SEAM. This is especially the case for new users, since the necessary radiation models for their parts are available before modeling commences. Furthermore, starting from a duplicate of an existing project decreases the amount of time and effort required to develop project-specific models. Incorporating RGENTIC’s table of part-types resolves these issues and provides a streamlined process for creating system radiation fault models. Consequently, spacecraft designers can identify radiation problems early in the design cycle and fix them with lower cost and less effort than in later design stages

Methodology for Correlating Historical Degradation Data to Radiation-Induced Degradation System Effects in Small Satellites

When constructing a system-level fault tree to demonstrate device-to-system level radiation degradation, reliability engineers need relevant, device-level failure probabilities to incorporate into reliability models. Deriving probabilities from testing can be expensive and time-consuming, especially if the system is complex. This methodology offers an alternative means of deriving device-level failure probabilities. It uses Bayesian analysis to establish links between historical radiation datasets and failure probabilities. A demonstration system for this methodology is provided, which is a TID response of a linear voltage regulator at 100 krad(SiO2). Data fed into the Bayesian model is derived from literature on the components found within a linear voltage regulator. An example is presented with data pertaining to the device’s bipolar junction transistor (BJT)’s gain degradation factor (GDF). Kernel density estimation is used to provide insight into the dataset’s general distribution shape. This guides the engineer into picking the appropriate distribution for device-level Bayesian analysis. Failure probabilities generated from the Bayesian analysis are incorporated into a LTspice model to derive a system failure probability (using Monte Carlo) of the regulator’s output. In our demonstration system, a 96.5% likelihood of system degradation was found in the assumed environment

EXTENSION OF STATE SPACE AVERAGING TO RESONANT SWITCHES = AND BEYOND

In this paper it is shown that the state space averaging melhod can be extended by linear network theory from the domain of pulse width modulated converters to a much larger class of converters, including resonant switch converters, current programmed mode, and others. The canonical model concept is also extended. and it is shown that the effect of resonant switching is to introduce a feedback block into the generalized canonical model. These results are applied to linear zero current and zero voltage resonant swilches, a new class of nonlinear resonant switch converters. and the current programmed mode. Equivalent circuit models are developed for both full and half wave operation. and experimental verjficatwn is presented. 1

Single-Event Burnout Mechanisms in SiC Power MOSFETs

Heavy ion-induced single-event burnout (SEB) is investigated in high-voltage silicon carbide power MOSFETs. Experimental data for 1200-V SiC power MOSFETs show a significant decrease in SEB onset voltage for particle linear energy transfers greater than 10 MeV/cm 2 /mg, above which the SEB threshold voltage is nearly constant at half of the rated maximum operating voltage for these devices. TCAD simulations show a parasitic bipolar junction transistor turn-on mechanism, which drives the avalanching of carriers and leads to runaway drain current, resulting in SEB.peerReviewe

Failure Estimates for SiC Power MOSFETs in Space Electronics

Silicon carbide (SiC) power metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) are space-ready in terms of typical reliability measures. However, single event burnout (SEB) due to heavy-ion irradiation often occurs at voltages 50% or lower than specified breakdown. Failure rates in space are estimated for burnout of 1200 V devices based on the experimental data for burnout and the expected heavy-ion linear energy transfer (LET) spectrum in space.peerReviewe

Enhanced Charge Collection in SiC Power MOSFETs Demonstrated by Pulse-Laser Two-Photon Absorption SEE Experiments

A two-photon absorption technique is used to understand the mechanisms of single-event effects in silicon carbide power MOSFETs and power junction barrier Schottky diodes. The MOSFETs and diodes have similar structures enabling identification of effects associated specifically with the parasitic bipolar structure that is present in the MOSFETs, but not the diodes. The collected charge in the diodes varies only with laser depth, whereas it varies with depth and lateral position in the MOSFETs. Optical simulations demonstrate that the variations in collected charge observed are from the semiconductor device structure, and not from metal/passivationinduced reflection. The difference in the spatial dependence of collected charge between the MOSFET and diode is explained by bipolar amplification of the charge carriers in the MOSFETs. TCAD device simulations extend this analysis to heavy ioninduced charge collection. In addition, there is discussion comparing this analysis with experimental results from prior works that show enhanced charge collection resulting from heavy ion irradiation.peerReviewe