Ruggedizing Buck Converters For Space And Other High Radiation Environments

by Nazzareno (Reno) Rossetti, Alphacore, Tempe, Ariz., How2Power Today, Jan 14 2022

Focus:
This article reviews the effect of radiation on electronic components and the technologies, processes and device techniques that make semiconductors radiation-tolerant or radiation-hard. Concepts such total ionizing dose (TID), single-event transients (SETs), single-event latch-ups (SELs) and single-event effects (SEEs) are briefly explained. Rad hardening techniques described here include use of the silicon on insulator process, GaN HEMTs, annular gate transistors or enclosed-layout transistors (ELTs), SJDMOS transistors, ELT/SJDMOS cascodes, and dynamic-threshold MOS transistors. Benefits of air core inductors are also explained. The article then discusses Alphacore’s design of a rad- hard dc-dc converter for space. The converter is based on an EPC GaN power stage IC and Alphacore’s CMOS SOI controller/driver IC with high-voltage superjunction transistors for the driver section. Able to properly function up to 200 Mrad of TID, the converter can operate within the large hadron collider at CERN, and in space satellite and probe missions.

What you’ll learn:

• How to develop power supply controller ICs that are rad hard by design
• How to develop a rad hard buck converter for space or particle accelerator applications

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