Single event effects and performance predictions for space applications of RISC processors

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1994 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/23.340637· OSTI ID:6645462

Kimbrough, J R; Colella, N J; Denton, S M; Shaeffer, D L; Shih, D; Wilburn, J W ^[1]; Coakley, P G ^[2]; Casteneda, C ^[3]; Koga, R ^[4]; Clark, D A; Ullmann, J L ^[5]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
2. JAYCOR, San Diego, CA (United States)
3. Crocker Nuclar Lab., Davis, CA (United States)
4. Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA (United States)
5. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

Proton and ion Single Event Phenomena (SEP) tests were performed on 32-b processors including R3000A's from all commercial manufacturers along with the Performance PR3400 family, Integrated Device Technology Inc. 79R3081, LSI Logic Corporation LR33000HC, and Intel i80960MX parts. The microprocessors had acceptable upset rates for operation in a low earth orbit or a lunar mission such as CLEMENTINE with a wide range in proton total dose failure. Even though R3000A devices are 60% smaller in physical area than R3000 devices, there was a 340% increase in device Single Event Upset (SEU) cross section. Software tests of varying complexity demonstrate that registers and other functional blocks using register architecture dominate the cross section. The current approach of giving a single upset cross section can lead to erroneous upset rates depending on the application software.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6645462
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States), Vol. 41:6Pt2; ISSN 0018-9499
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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