Radiation characterization and functional verification of COTS components

Candidate identification

• Build a „long“ list of candidate devices
  • Functionality or properties should greatly benefit the space community
  • Focus on high integration / high performance / reduced power?
  • Call for participation! http://s.fhg.de/racoco-survey

• Why a „long“ list? Examples encountered:
  • Target 100 krad(Si) Failing at < 10 krad(Si)
  • Target no SEL for LET < 60 MeVcm2/mg failing with low LET to SEL
  • Decapsulation issues etc.

Preliminary screening

• The „long“ list of test candidates will be preliminary screened
  • focusing on SEL and TID to identify components which allow for a full characterization
  • If possible using evaluation boards and reference designs 

„short“ list of components with proven feasibility for further testing

Radiation testing campaign

• All parts passing the preliminary screening will be subjected to in-depth testing
  • Baseline: SEE, TID according to ECSS 25100 / 22900, DD, ….
• Some components will be subjected to additional tests:
  • Board level or assembly tests: How do component effects scale to a board level test?
  • Array of SEE test campaigns: Could a proton test be enough? 
    • What would the reliability be? (e.g. How applicable is the figure of merit?)
  • TID: Statistics on large data sets
    • Lot to lot, part to part variations, (hopefully pre- and post- a process change)

Output of RACOCO

• Data and experience on an array of COTS components for space
• Eligible COTS Components that have passed all comprehensive radiation and functional tests shall be proposed for further reliability screening and possibly qualification
  • Radiation is the focus of this project, but not the only issue with COTS
• Experiences gained during testing shall be submitted to the CTB Radiation working Group in the form of guidelines
  • for possible inclusion in European Radiation Hardness Assurance standards

What we also want to learn from RACOCO

• How can we apply „cheap and easy“ preliminary test methods to first assess radiation hardness on unknown components?
  • Avoid „trial and error“ full-scale tests up to standards
• How representative and reliable can these preliminary test methods be?
  • Can they replace „full scale tests“ for „high-risk“ missions?
• How representative are radiation tests for samples from another lot/date code?
  • Links heavily to the use of heritage information and/or COTS databases

Summary

• In RACOCO we will put both COTS components and COTS test strategies to a test (http://s.fhg.de/racoco)
• The project is currently in its initial phase of device selection
  • Call for participation! http://s.fhg.de/racoco-survey

• Test preparations and preliminary screening in 2020
• „Short“ list of components assembled in Q3/2020
• In-depth testing from Q4/2020 to Q1/2022
• Final report and Guidelines Q2/2022