ABSTRACT
Electronic circuits and systems are employed in a number of different fields where some degree of radiation tolerance is required. These fields include, to mention but a few, space and avionic applications, high-energy physics experiments, nuclear and (still at an exploratory stage) thermonuclear power plants, and medical diagnostic imaging and therapy. When operated in these environments, electronic systems may be directly struck by photons, electrons, nucleons or heavier particles, with a subsequent alteration of their electrical properties. Depending on the type and characteristics of the impinging radiation and on the fabrication technology of the circuit, different effects, either irreversible or (partially or totally) reversible, may arise. Knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the behavior under irradiation of electronic devices and circuits is of paramount importance for
• devising hardness assurance methodologies to guarantee that they can work reliably in the target environment,
• developing rad-hard circuits and design techniques to improve their tolerance to specific radiation effects in specific applications.
