Diagram of the nuclear reaction iduced by cosmic radiation in an element of a chip containing tungsten". Image: Vladimir Chumanov
Simulation software was developed to assess the sustainability of microelectronics in the spacecraft to space radiation. This will be reported in the talk given by Nikolai Chechenin, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, Head of Division of Atomic and Nuclear Physics at D.V. Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics of M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (SINP MSU).
Simulation software was developed to assess the sustainability of microelectronics in the spacecraft to space radiation. This will be reported in the talk given by Nikolai Chechenin, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, Head of Division of Atomic and Nuclear Physics at D.V. Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics of M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (SINP MSU).
Currently radiation tests carried out in terrestrial conditions by irradiating ion beams, electron accelerators, neutron reactors, gamma rays from powerful radioactive sources, and laser pulses. However, to reproduce experimentally the space radiation conditions on the Earth is not feasible task nowadays. In space, the mass spectrum of radiation ranges from electromagnetic radiation (optical, X-ray and hard gamma rays) to protons and ions of practically all elements of the periodic table with unattainable energies of the particles on Earth. Real space conditions can be simulated using the developed simulation software.
Simulation program is developed by the scientists of the Division of Atomic and Nuclear Physics at SINP MSU and of the Central Research Institute of Machine Building (TsNIIMash).
In order to check the stability of microelectronics to radiation effects of cosmic radiation, the simulation software will take into account the specific topology and composition of integrated circuits, radiation spectra on the trajectory of the spacecraft, space weather forecast and possible nuclear reactions when radiation penetrates through the elements of the chips.
The computer program is designed to assess also the radiation resistance of three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits that in the near future will push out two-dimensional (2D) chips, used nowadays on board the spacecrafts, since with the same size scale of the elements, information capacity, speed, and power consumption in the 3D technology chips will have a qualitatively higher performance.
The software developed to assess the sustainability of the spacecraft microelectronics to the space radiation effects will be important, first of all, for the manufacturers developing new radiation-hard chips and for the developers of new space hardware, using existing and prospective element base.
The study will be presented at the 40th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, report G0.3-0010-14 «Possible Contribution of Nuclear Fragmentation Induced by High Energy Cosmic Protons to Single Effects Transients in Modern 3D Technology On-Board Devices», which is scheduled for 15:30, August 6, at the address: Lomonosov prospect 27, Bldg. 4 (Shuvalovsky Building), room S2-14.