RADHARD 2022

Radiation Hardness Assurance

Abstract

Electromagnetic Emissions in Combination with TID Stress – Physical Background, Test Setup and First Results

Alicja Michalowska-Forsyth1, Nikolaus Czepl1, Bernd Deutschmann1

1 Graz University of Technology, Institute of ElectronicsEuropean Space Agency

 

Abstract

Circuits with large switching currents and fast switching edges are often sources of electromagnetic emissions (EME). At the system level these emissions can interfere with electromagnetically susceptible components by radiation, coupling or conductive paths. At the system design-level the overall electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is ensured by designing integrated circuits (IC) in compliance to EMC standards and in many cases, by dedicated system-level tests. In space, medical or industrial applications the ICs are exposed to different stresses, in particular of concern here – the total ionizing dose (TID) due to ionizing radiation.

We present a methodology and first results of screening ICs for TID-induced drifts in their electromagnetic emission. Thereby, the electromagnetic emission of a CMOS output driver test IC is characterized by the so-called 150 Ohm direct coupling method. This method is described in the IEC 61967-4 standard and enables the measurement of the conducted emission of one of the ICs outputs in the frequency range from 150 kHz to 1 GHz.

For these investigations, custom ICs of known topology and circuit-level simulation techniques are used in order to deepen the understanding of the effects of underlying combined effect mechanisms. The main motivation for such studies is to determine if TID stress will change the electromagnetic emission of ICs, since certain MOSFET parameters that influence the electromagnetic emission behavior of switched IC topologies drift with TID stress.

 

References

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