Radiation testing of a commercial 6-axis MEMS inertial navigation unit at ENEA Frascati proton linear accelerator. Issue 4 (15th February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bazzano, G.; Ampollini, A.; Cardelli, F.; Fortini, F.; Nenzi, P.; Palmerini, G.B.; Picardi, L.; Piersanti, L.; Ronsivalle, C.; Surrenti, V.; Trinca, E.; Vadrucci, M.; Sabatini, M.
• Is Part Of: Advances in space research. Volume 67:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 1379
• Page End: 1391
• Publication Date: 2021-02-15
• Subjects: ACCT AC Current Transformer -- ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit -- CCL Cavity Coupled LINAC -- COTS Commercial Off The Shelf -- DD Displacement Damage -- DTL Drift Tube LINAC -- DUT Device Under Test -- FC Faraday Cup -- FODO FOcusing/DefOcusing -- IC Ionization Chamber -- iIC integral Ionization Chamber -- IMU Inertial Measurement Unit -- LEO Low Earth Orbit -- LET Linear Energy Transfer -- LINAC LINear ACcelerator -- MBU Multiple-Bit Upset -- MEMS Micro Electro-Mechanical System -- RFQ Radio Frequency Quadrupole -- RHA Radiation Hardness Assurance -- SCDTL Side Coupled Drift Tube LINAC -- SEE Single-Event Effect -- SEFI Single-Event Functional Interrupt -- SEL Single-Event Latch-up -- SEU Single-Event Upset -- TID Total Ionizing Dose; Proton -- Radiation hardness -- COTS -- MEMS -- IMU; Space sciences -- Periodicals; Astronautics -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 500.505
• DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2020.11.031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0273-1177

Abstract

Highlights: Proton LINAC for cancer therapy application used for standard RHA of space components. First irradiation of electronic components with TOP-IMPLART proton LINAC prototype. Commercial 6-axis integrated MEMS IMU tested for TID degradation, SEL and SEFI. Abstract: We present the first results of a novel collaboration activity between ENEA Frascati Particle Accelerator Laboratory and University La Sapienza Guidance and Navigation Laboratory in the field of Radiation Hardness Assurance (RHA) for space applications. The aim of this research is twofold: (a) demonstrating the possibility to use the TOP-IMPLART proton accelerator for radiation hardness assurance testing, developing ad hoc dosimetric and operational procedures for RHA irradiations; (b) investigating system level radiation testing strategies for Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) components of interest for SmallSats space missions, with focus on devices and sensors of interest for guidance, navigation and control, through simultaneous exploration of Total Ionizing Dose (TID), Displacement Damage (DD) dose and Single-Event Effects (SEE) with proton beams. A commercial 6-axis integrated Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) inertial navigation system (accelerometer, gyroscope) was selected as first Device Under Test (DUT). The results of experimental tests aimed to define an operational procedure and the characterization of radiation effects on the component are reported, highlighting the consequence of the device performance degradation in terms of the overall navigation system accuracy. Doses up to 50 krad(Si) were probed and cross sections for Single-Event Functional Interrupt (SEFI) evaluated at a proton energy of 30 MeV.