TÜV NORD GROUP

TID TESTING OF COMPLEX

INTEGRATED CIRCUITS

Miguel Bermudo

ALTER TECHNOLOGY TÜV NORD

MARKET DEMANDS

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Users require increased

performance from electronic

components

The use of advanced and complex

devices has thus become a must

These new technologies are not

always mature or sufficiently

validated

Radiation environment is unique to

space therefore requiring specific

validation activities

SPACE IS UNIQUE -1

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Outside of the Earth’s magnetosphere protection, integrated circuits are

affected by natural radiation sources that generate ionizing and non-

ionizing effects

Spacecraft electronics are exposed to a wide spectrum of charged

particles (electrons, protons and heavy ions) that deposit charge on

devices through ionization

SPACE IS UNIQUE - 2

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The amount and nature of the radiation received depends on the

orbit, solar activity, mission lifetime and shielding

Radiation performance is not a requirement for mass-produced

components and, therefore, it is not considered during the

technology development phase

NEW TECHNOLOGIES - 1

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Market is driving manufacturers towards more

advanced products, based on new CMOS

processes, that have a smaller size and footprint,

but much higher complexity

This has resulted on greater purity, thinner gate

oxides, that collect less electric charge, thus

reducing degradation due to radiation

However, there are still significant leakage

currents affecting operation of digital and analog

circuits

Mixed signal ASICs complexity make them

potentially sensitive to all known radiation effects

NEW TECHNOLOGIES - 2

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New technologies are generating new challenges:

Operating speed

Gate density

Bandwidth

Complex packaging

Reduced power supply voltages

Reduced noise margins

Ground testing of complex devices using newer technologies is

mandatory to identify the radiation performance of these products

The increasing complexity of new devices creates additional

difficulties to characterize radiation performance using traditional

approaches

TID TESTING REQUIREMENTS - 1

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Product complexity requires bigger and

better test platforms to ensure adequate

parametrical coverage

This coverage is often beyond the

capabilities of portable testers, requiring

the use of larger machines located in

test laboratories

Typically radiation sources (Co60) are

not in the proximity of testing

laboratories

ELDR sensitivity must be assessed for

CMOS devices, requiring long

exposition time and many intermediate

measurements

TID TESTING REQUIREMENTS - 2

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ESCC 22900 calls for electrical

measurements to be done within

a two hours window between

irradiation interruptions

MIL-STD-883, TM1019 calls for

special logistics (use of dry ice),

making the testing experience

more difficult

Additionally, it is impractical to

spend complete days between

irradiation steps

ALTER TECHNOLOGY‘s APPROACH

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RADLAB our new Cobalt-60 Radiation

facility features:

A fully flexible source

Unlimited availability

Extensive electrical parameter

measurement capabilities

Full in-house control

ALTER TECHNOLOGY

A recognized Centre of Excellence for

ESA for radiation testing

Approved service provider to OEM’s

and space agencies worldwide

FLEXIBILITY – Dose Rate Range - 1

The source at RADLAB provides a very wide dose rate range,

from less than 36rad(Si)/h to more than 36krad(Si)/h

36krad(Si)/h

36rad(Si)/h

Very High

Ultra Low

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FLEXIBILITY – Dose Rate Range - 2

Simultaneous testing of componens with different dose rates, by applying a bi-

zonal attenuation configuration

Easy implementation of variable dose rate schemes (low rate for the first steps,

higher rate thereafter), optimizing exposure time vs results representativeness

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FLEXIBILITY – Field Uniformity

All radiation tests are performed with a guaranteed uniformity above 90

percent, in a square area up to 1,4 x 1,4 meters

Field uniformity is measured for each specific irradiation unit

Depending of the sample size, a uniformity of 99% can be achieved

Example of a real 3D Uniformity Profile

measured in the RADLAB facility

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RADLAB – Around The Clock Availability

A dedicated group of accredited licensed engineers and security

personnel are permanently available

Test when you canTest when you need instead of

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The RADLAB facility provides full availability, 24 hours a day, 7

days a week

ALTER TECHNOLOGY offers full Electrical Test characterization capability

for:

FULL PARAMETRICAL ELECTRICAL TESTING

Mixed signal components (ADC/DAC

up to 24 bits)

Complex digital parts (FPGA’s,

Memories, Microcontrollers -32bits-)

PWM, PLL, Modulators/Demodulators,

DDS, Mixer/Receiver

High pin count components.

Expandable up to 1500 I/Os

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RADLAB Capability – Monitoring & Recording

Two independent measurement systems to monitor and register the

accumulated dose of the DUT

Remote control of both the power consumption for each electronic

device and the environmental parameters of the irradiation room

DUTDevice Under Test

IRRADIATION

ROOM

Temperature,

Pressure

and Relative

Humidity

Radiation

Parameters

Biasing

Conditions

PRSParameter Register

System

CONTROL ROOM

REMOTE

CONNECTIONSDC

Secure Data Center

ATN SERVERS

RTE

Radiation

Test Engineer

ELECTRICAL

MEASUREMENTS

LABORATORY

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ALTER TECHNOLOGY – TID Testing - 1

More than 1000 TID radiation test campaigns performed to-date

More than 5000 components tested, covering a wide range of

technologies and complexities/functions

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ALTER TECHNOLOGY – TID Testing - 2

Custom radiation test plans are generated to fulfil your requirements,

including extensive verification of data-sheet or procurement specification

electrical parameters (DC, AC, functional test)

Radiation parameters

(dose rate, steps,

total dose, …)

Biasing conditions

Radiation

Test Plan

Annealing conditions

Electrical

parameters

to be measured

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ALTER TECHNOLOGY – TID Testing - 3

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Dedicated engineers develop all necessary software

In house design of sockets and boards

QUALITY SYSTEM

19

• UNE-EN 9100:2010 (QM for Aerospace & Defense)

• UNE-EN-ISO 9001:2008 (QM Requirements)

• UNE-EN-ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (General requirements for Calibration

& Testing)

• UNE-EN-ISO 14001 (Environmental Management)

• UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065:2012 (Product Conformance Evaluation)

• ISO 17025 (RADLAB)

• DLA Suitability for RADLAB (On going)

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SUMMARY – RADLAB

State of the Art

Radiation Laboratory

Full Availability Ultra High

Field Uniformity

Plane

Geometry

Simultaneous

Tests

Continuous Monitoring

& Recording

Wide Dose

Rate RangeLarge Irradiation

Field Size

High Dose Rate

Certainty & Precision

Logistic

Advantages RADLAB

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