Applicability of the Accelerated Switching Test Method - A Comprehensive Survey

The enhanced degradation exhibited at low dose rates by many bipolar-technology components is a major reliability issue for spacecraft electronics. As an accelerated ELDRS test method an approach has been suggested that makes use of sequenced high dose rate and low dose rate exposures - the so called accelerated switching test method. In this paper we describe the results of an application of the accelerated switching test method to the LM158 operational amplifier and LM339 comparator. Degradations of a comprehensive set of device parameters are measured. Prediction curves of the low dose rate response are estimated. The quality of the prediction curves is discussed by comparing them with reference data obtained from continuous low dose rate testing.