Tester Capabilities
Testing IC’s for Space
Radiation Test Challenges for IC’s and Semiconductor components
Space Radiation
(with regards to electronics)
- Charged Particles (ionizing radiation)
- Gamma Radiation (ionizing electromagnetic radiation)
- Heavy Ions, protons, neutrons,
- Gamma, (gamma-dot)
Single Charged Particles
Single Event Effects (SEE)
- state upsets
Memory / Latches / stated logic (flip flops..)
- transient outputs
Regulators / OpAmps / DACs / Power FETs
Single Event Latchups (SEL)
- permanent high current state
All CMOS – parasitic SCR
- Single Event Gate Rupture (SEGR)
Power FETs
Single Event Functional Interrupts (SEFI)
- Permanent change in operation
requiring reset
Memory / Latches / stated logic (flip flops..)
Regulators / OpAmps / DACs / Power FETs
All CMOS – parasitic SCR
Power FETs
requiring reset
Total Ionizing Dose
Gamma Radiation
Increased currents
- Parasitic/edge leakage
IDD / pin ILeakage[I,O]
- Voltage Threshold Shifts
Circuit Changes (plethora)
- Bias
- Regulation
- FET I/V characteristics
- Logic Levels
Functional Failure
Analog Parts
- Extremely Low Dose Rate Sensitivity (ELDRS)
increased component degradation with decreasing TID dose rate
Bipolar technologies
IDD / pin ILeakage[I,O]
increased component degradation with decreasing TID dose rate
Bipolar technologies
Transient Dose
Gamma Dot
- Logic/Memory Upset
- Transient Output
e.g. logic high droop - Transient Idd pulse
may be amps - Survivability
burnout
Neutron Damage
All bipolar analog circuits will degrade
OpAmps, Comparators, Power Circuits
Bipolar transistor
- Gain degradation
- Lower breakdown voltage
- Increase leakage
- burnout
Flying Electronics In Space
1. Begins with knowing part RAD behavior
2. Design a system that tolerates/accommodates part’s RAD behavior
Hardened ICs vs COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf)
- Hardened
ICs have foundry solutions to mitigate Rad effects
ex. MRAD TID vs a few KRAD for COTs
ex. Upset mitigation, prevention
limited types, expensive - COTS – inexpensive, higher technology
COTS: What to test, what not to
- Inherently hard ?
- Existing data ?
- Expected Environment (earth orbits, deep space)
COTS: Characterization (discover COTS part behavior)
COTS: Qual (Statistical performance of a group, COTS lifetime buys)
Radiation Test Facilities
- Large / Remote
Travel
portable test - Must protect
test equipment & test boards from radiation - Only irradiate IC
JDi Tester Solves Radiation Test Challenges
1. Distance
DUT must be separated from tester (ft – 10’s ft – 100 ft)
2. Concurrent RAD effects – must unravel
SEFI might mask underlying SEUs,
SEFI might masquerade as micro latch
3. FULL Test (ac, DC – as well as functional)
as challenging as production test
– further complication of RAD environments
time: TID = max 2hr test interval btwn rad exposures (MIL STD 883)
rapid anneal: minutes – in-situ testing
4. Latchup
detect, protect
5. Test Head / DUT board electronics
protect from radiation- isolate
6. Large Universe of Part Types
7. Travel to remote facilities
8. Real Time Results
beam time – expensive :
must know you’re getting good data
Example – How JDi Tester solves Radiation Test Challenges
DISTANCE
SEE, LINAC: 10s ft
TID, Neutron, Proton: 10 – 30+ ft
CERN CHARM or Reactor: 100 ft
Production IC Testers — Not Suitable —
( they require inches of separation)
“Distance” must be “Designed In” to tester
Requires pipeline architecture –
- multiple signals in cabling at once
separation in time for compare - needs transmission line technology (50 ohm)
separate I & O lines
Most DUTs can’t drive long lines
- remote return drivers