Natural atmospheric radiation effects have been recognized in recent years as key safety and reliability concerns for avionics systems. Atmospheric radiation may cause Single Event Effects (SEE) in electronics. The resulting Single Event Effects can cause various fault conditions, including hazardous misleading information and system effects in avionics equipment. As technology trends continue to achieve higher densities and lower voltages, semiconductor devices are becoming more susceptible to atmospheric radiation effects. To ensure a system meets all its safety and reliability requirements, SEE induced upsets and potential system failures need to be considered.
The purpose of this paper is to describe a process to incorporate the SEE analysis into the development like-cycle. Background on the atmospheric radiation phenomenon and the resulting single event effects, including single event upset (SEU) and latch up conditions is provided. The approach to assess radiation effects susceptibility of components and the evaluation of SEE impacts on system functionality is described. The process includes a radiation analysis plan, parts assessment, radiation effects susceptibility evaluation, and a radiation effects report.
