Some Effects of Transit Gamma Radiation on Transistors

As a part of a study of nuclear radiation effects on shipboard electronic equipment, a large number of commonly used transistor types have been irradiated in similated transit radiation fields. A wide range was observed in the amount of radiation induced effects on gain and reverse leakage current, even within a group of one type of transistor. In general, only temporary changes were observed, with silicon types exhibiting smaller changes than the germanium units. For germanium types, reverse leakage current changed by a factor of 10-20 for some units while gain changed by a factor of 2 or less, with the change persisting in some types.