Enhanced low dose rate sensitivity (ELDRS) of linear circuits in a space environment

To investigate the ELDRS effect in a real space environment, an experiment was designed, launched, and placed in a highly elliptical orbit in November 1997. After its deployment, the electrical responses of several bipolar transistors and linear circuits have been and continue to be recorded once during every 12-hour orbit. System dosimeters are monitored to establish an average accumulated dose per orbit. With this information, the electrical parameter data are correlated with the dosimetry data to determine the total dose response of each device. This paper updates information on the ELDRS experiment through May 14, 1999. As of this date, the experiment has been in flight for a period of 18 months and has accumulated an approximate dose of 18 krd(Si). For comparison, devices, specifically linear circuits with the same date code, were irradiated using Co-60 sources, herein defined as ground-based tests. The ground-based tests are used to evaluate two hardness assurance tests, a room temperature irradiation at 10 mrd(Si)/s and an elevated temperature irradiation at 100/spl deg/C and 10 rd(Si)/s and to evaluate the ELDRS response. To that end, irradiations were performed at room temperature, approximately 22/spl deg/C, at fixed dose rates of 100, 1, and 0.01 rd(Si)/s and at elevated temperature, approximately 100/spl deg/C, at a fixed dose rate of 10 rd(Si)/s. Currently, irradiations are being performed at room temperature at a fixed dose rate of 0.001 rd(Si)/s. Comparing the ground-based data to the flight data clearly demonstrates that enhanced parametric degradation has occurred in the flight parts. The two hardness assurance screens predicted ELDRS but the design margin for the elevated temperature test may not be adequate.