Simulation test technique for nuclear and space radiation effects

Many types of radiation particles are found in natural and artificial radiation environments; for instance, protons, electrons, heavy ions and neutrons, gamma rays, and X-rays. These radiation particles may induce transient ionizing dose effects, single event effects, displacement damage, and total ionizing dose effects in electronic devices, resulting in performance degradation, function abnormality, malfunction, and even failure in systems containing these devices. For example, 45% of the observed failures were due to radiation damage in artificial satellites working in space radiation environments. Thus, radiation damage plays a key role in restricting the long-term stability and reliability of electronic devices and the corresponding systems. Simulation test techniques for nuclear and space radiation effects are important foundations of radiation-hardness assurance studies, which can be useful for studying the basic mechanisms of radiation effects and estimating the effectiveness of hardness assurance methods, and indispensable for improving the reliability of electronics and the corresponding systems. In this study, four topics are presented, covering simulation test techniques for transient ionizing dose effects, single event effects, displacement damage, and total ionizing dose effects. For each topic, first, the status of radiation effect studies and experimental equipment suitability for performing radiation effect tests at home and abroad were reviewed. Second, the future development trends, along with the rapid progress in the field of microelectronics, were summarized based on information reported in references, and scientific and technical problems that should be heeded were raised and analyzed. This study can provide a reference for guiding the directions of radiation-hardness assurance.