The Power Supply Designer’s Guide To Radiation Effects in Power Semiconductors
by Paul L. Schimel, Microchip Technology, Chicago, Ill., How2Power Today, Jun 15 2020
Focus:
This article explains the fundamentals of radiation hardened power semiconductors as
well as the practical aspects of using these components. This includes explanations of
what happens when different types of charged subatomic particles bombard power
semiconductor devices in space and the various types of tests used to qualify rad hard
power devices for space. These tests gauge a semiconductor’s ability to withstand
different types of radiation effects such as SEE, TID, ELDRS, LET, SEB, and SEGR.
These tests are explained in the context of the familiar power transistors and
rectifiers. As the author discusses, certain device structures are more vulnerable to
specific radiation effects than others, and the design of radiation hardened devices
reflects these sensitivities. In some cases, device rating or the choice of power
supply topology may be affected, as discussed here. Other topics covered include
neutron bombardment, how rad hard applies to integrated circuits, and how to interpret
the coding in a space-grade part number.
What you’ll learn:
- How to understand the fundamentals of radiation hardness as applied to power semiconductors
- How to understand rad hard effects and the tests used to gauge semiconductor susceptibility to these effects
- How to understand key design considerations when specifying and applying rad hard power semiconductors
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