Microelectronic Devices for Application in Transient Nuclear Radiation Environments

The results of environmental tests designed to determine the relative susceptibility of monolithic silicon and thin fillm integrated circuits and devices to the transient nuclear radiation environment associated with a nuclear explosion are discussed. These results strorngly indicate that hybrid thin film circuits employing high frequency transistors should be used in systems now being designed which require microelectronic circuitry to operate in a transient radiation environment. Tests conducted on experimental devices indicate that the insulated- gate thin-film field effect transistor is less affected by transient nuclear radiation than any other active microelectronic device presently available. When the insulated gate field effect device becomes commercially available, it should provide complete thin film integrated circuits which are highly resistant to transient nuclear radiation.