General upper bound on single-event upset rate

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/23.106755· OSTI ID:7070779

Chlouber, D; O'Neill, P; Pollock, J ^[1]

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1. McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co., Houston, TX (USA)

A technique of predicting an upper bound on the rate at which single-event upsets due to ionizing radiation occur in semiconducting memory cells is described. The upper bound on the upset rate, which depends on the high-energy particle environment in earth orbit and accelerator cross section data, is given by the product of an upper bound linear energy transfer spectrum {ital I}{sub {infinity}} and the mean cross section of the memory cell. Plots of the spectrum {ital I}{sub {infinity}} are given for low inclination and polar orbits. An alternative expression for the exact upset rate is also presented. Both methods rely only on experimentally obtained cross section data and are valid for sensitive bit regions having arbitrary shape.

• OSTI ID: 7070779
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA), Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA) Vol. 37:2; ISSN 0018-9499; ISSN IETNA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360605* -- Materials-- Radiation Effects
440200 -- Radiation Effects on Instrument Components
Instruments
or Electronic Systems
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
654001 -- Radiation & Shielding Physics-- Radiation Physics
Shielding Calculations & Experiments
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
CROSS SECTIONS
HARDENING
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LINEAR MOMENTUM TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MEMORY DEVICES
MOMENTUM TRANSFER
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
POST-IRRADIATION EXAMINATION
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION HARDENING
RADIATIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES