Rad-Hard Technology Brief
Radiation causes performance degradation of integrated circuits through accelerated aging. The impact can be cause leakage and threshold voltage shifts in ICs that can cause system failure. To mitigate these problems, Ridgetop has extensive experience in the design of radiation-hardened components for critical applications. These tools includes satisfactorily addressing the following rad effects:
- Single Event Effects (SEE)
- Total Ionizing Dose (TID)
- Transient Dose Rate (TDR)
Examples of Ridgetop design services in the radiation hardened areas, including Rad Hard by Shielding (RHBS), Rad Hard by Design (RHBD) methods and Rad Hard by Process (RHBP):
- Mixed signal circuit designs for critical applications, including high speed, high linearity analog to digital converters. Sampling rates are up to 2 GS/S.
- Design using newer advanced processes such as Silicon Germanium (SiGe), Silicon on Insulator (SOI), Silicon on Sapphire (SOS) and other advanced semiconductor processes.
- With the TopAct Radiation Shielding tool, adequate characterization and โwhat ifโ analyses can be conducted iteratively to assure adequate shielding protects sensitive circuitry.
Ridgetop customers for our Radiation Hardening Products and design services have included the Air Force, NAVAIR, Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), US Air Force, NASA and the US Department of Energy. Prime Contractors for those agencies also populate our extensive customer list.