Analysis of Transistor Failure in a Nuclear Environment

This paper describes a method for predicting transistor reliability as a function of nuclear radiation exposure, through the use of the Weibull distribution. Graphical plots of seven different types of transistors show ac gain degradation as a function of integrated neutron exposure. The plots on Weibull graph paper are extended to include probability of failure to 0.1 and 0.01 percent. The graphs are interpreted and the plotting technique and assumptions for extrapolation of the Weibull distribution are discussed.