Radiation effects on the microwave properties of GaAs MESFETS. Final technical report, 1 April 1978-30 June 1979

Technical Report · Sun Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6343715

Borrego, J M; Gutmann, R J; Moghe, S B; Rochford, K G

The effect of fast neutron and gamma irradiation on the electrical characteristics of low noise microwave GaAs MESFET amplifiers has been evaluated. The microwave amplifiers were realized on alumina microstrip using commercial devices mounted in a common source configuration. The changes in the noise figure and amplifier gain at S- and X-band were determined for neutron fluences between 3 x 10 to the 12th power to 1 x 10 to the 15th power n/sq cm and for a gamma dose of 2 x 10 to the 7th power rads (Si). The noise figure starts to be affected at 10 to the 14th power n/sq cm and a large deterioration is observed at 1 x 10 to the 15th power n/sq cm. The increase in noise figure is related to the decrease in transconductance and increase in the parasitic source resistance. The decrease in the amplifier gain at the high neutron fluence is due to a deterioration of the transconductance, source resistance and change in the gate to source and gate to drain capacitances. The low frequency noise increases with neutron radiation but not with gamma-radiation. The low frequency noise appears not to be correlated with the microwave noise. Gamma irradiation increases the noise figure at a dose of 2 x 10 to the 7th power rads (Si) without affecting the signal characteristics of the device. It appears that Gamma-radiation produces levels which respond at microwave frequencies.

• Research Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (USA). Dept. of Electrical and Systems Engineering
• OSTI ID: 6343715
• Report Number(s): AD-A-089410
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440200* -- Radiation Effects on Instrument Components
Instruments
or Electronic Systems
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AMPLIFICATION
AMPLIFIERS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
BARYON REACTIONS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS
GAIN
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GAMMA RADIATION
HADRON REACTIONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MICROWAVE AMPLIFIERS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEON REACTIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PNICTIDES
POWER AMPLIFIERS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
TRANSISTORS