β Scribed by M. Boscherini; O. Adriani; M. Bongi; L. Bonechi; G. Castellini; R. D'Alessandro; A. Gabbanini; M. Grandi; W. Menn; P. Papini; S.B. Ricciarini; M. Simon; P. Spillantini; S. Straulino; F. Taccetti; M. Tesi; E. Vannuccini
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
The PAMELA apparatus is dedicated to study cosmic rays on board of a satellite mission scheduled to start at the beginning of 2004. All the electronics components of such a mission have to be chosen carefully, because no replacement is possible after launch. Irradiation tests have been performed in order to study effects of highly ionizing particles on chips and to evaluate thresholds for Single Event Upset and Latch-up. The first effect, observed in digital components, is a radiation-induced change of state in a memory cell and gives rise to loss of the stored information. The second one, present also in analog components, happens when a parasitic conduction channel opens through the chip: this can fuse the component unless a protection circuit limits the current flow. Estimates of on-orbit fluxes and results of dedicated beam tests are reported.
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