Low temperature performance of COTS electronic components for Martian surface applications

Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components were tested over the Martian temperature range for their use in a Mars proximity microtransceiver development project. These COTS components include off-chip IF filters, off-chip TCXOs, and on-chip components such as MOSFETS, resistors and capacitors. The on-chip components are from a rad-hard silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) IC process. Novel methods were developed to reliably measure component characteristics at cryogenic temperatures. Measurements were then taken from 25degC to -120degC in steps of 20degC. The results achieved look promising and provide useful information for analog circuit designers developing circuitry for extreme low temperature ranges