D3-RH

Harden
Radiation Hardening

Definition

Radiation hardening is the process of making electronic components and circuits resistant to damage or malfunction caused by high levels of ionizing radiation.

How it works

There are three core radiation hardening methodologies:

1. Radiation Hardening by Process (RHBP): modifying the physical fabrication of a semiconductor (e.g., using SOI - Silicon on Insulator), offering the highest intrinsic protection. Usually the most expensive option as it requires a specialized semiconducter fabrication plant.

2. Radiation Hardening by Design (RHBD): modifying circuit topology and physical layout using techniques such as Triple Modular Redundancy (TMM). A more cost-effective option, with the constraint of potentially increasing chip area and power.

3. Radiation Hardening by Shielding (RHBS): using physical materials (e.g., aluminum or tantalum) to block ionizing particles. Simple to implement, with the constraint of increasing size and weight.

Artifact Relationships

This defensive technique relates to specific digital artifacts.

hardens
Radiation Hardening
Hardware Device

References

Reference - A Radiation-Hardened SAR ADC with Delay-Based Dual Feedback Flip-Flops for Sensor Readout Systems Reference - Diagnosis of Faults Induced by Radiation and Circuit-Level Design Mitigation Techniques: Experience from VCO and High-Speed Driver CMOS ICs Case Studies Reference - Method of making thin atomic (Z) grade shields - NASA