In this paper, the single-event effects on a 28-nm static random access memory-based field-programmable gate array (FPGA) under CERN's mixed-particle field are analyzed. The methodology followed for ...CERN electronics radiation hardness assurance and the particularities of testing an FPGA under a mixed-particle field are demonstrated. More specifically, the potential contribution of low-energy particles to the configuration memory (CRAM) and block memory (BRAM) bit upset sensitivity is investigated. By using a method of irradiating the device in different locations at CERN high-energy accelerator mixed field/facility with different particle energy spectra, it has been found that there is a significant impact of thermal neutrons, increasing the CRAM and BRAM cross section by a factor of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\times 3 </tex-math></inline-formula>. As a complement to this paper, an example application is also tested, in the context of future upgrades at the CERN accelerator complex. Results estimate that the application fails less than 10 times per year, leading to the conclusion that such devices may be used for low criticality applications along the accelerator complex.
The radiation spectra in the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) ranges from gigaelectronvolts down to thermal neutron levels. It is known that the thermal neutrons can significantly affect the ...electronic devices and systems exposed to the radiation environment of the tunnel and the shielded areas of the LHC. CERN's radiation monitoring (RadMon) system uses static random access memories (SRAMs) to measure the contributions to the spectrum from both the high-energy hadrons (>20 MeV) and thermal neutrons. The knowledge of the SRAM thermal neutron cross section is required for evaluating their contribution to the particle spectra and thus identifying the thermal neutron critical area. This paper describes a procedure to acquire, by means of RadMon system, the thermal neutron cross section of SRAM memories in a mixed-field environment. The capabilities of the CERN High AcceleRator Mixed-field facility (CHARM) to measure the thermal neutron sensitivity are then investigated. The procedure is evaluated by comparing the thermal neutron cross sections obtained at CHARM and the one measured using a pure thermal neutron beam. The same procedure could be applied to other devices to understand their susceptibility.
The Radiation MONitoring (RadMON) system is widely employed at CERN to measure the radiation levels in the accelerators, as well as the degradation of electronics located in the Large Hadron Collider ...(LHC) tunnel and shielded areas. Radiation Field Effect Transistors (RadFETs) integrated in the RadMON specifically measure the Total Ionizing Dose (TID) in the accelerators complex and are affected in turn by the CERN radiation field.
The CERN High energy AcceleRator Mixed-field test facility (CHARM) has been built with the intention of reproducing different mixed-fields (atmospheric, space, accelerators, ground,…), to test electronics when exposed to specific radiation environments. Among these fields, LHC-like environments are reproduced to test the RadMON's electronic components: the main goal is a full characterization of the RadMON response and the monitoring of its degradation, when it is exposed to the LHC radiation field.
FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations are crucial at this stage as a powerful tool to reproduce and calibrate the RadMON response. Our present FLUKA Monte Carlo model of the RadFET is well representative of its experimental dose response to the CHARM mixed-field, in unshielded layout. However, the simulations-experiments agreement in lateral shielded positions is less accurate, probably due to the neutron component of the field.
This paper focuses on the study of the RadFET dose response to neutrons, when the dosimeter is irradiated by mixed-fields. FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations and neutron test campaigns performed at ILL (Institut Laue Langevin) and LPSC (Laboratoire de Physique subatomique et de Cosmologie) in Grenoble, as well as at CERN are compared, to further investigate and fully characterize the RadFET response to neutrons.
The simulations-measurements agreement is within the experimental uncertainties, while an overall agreement within a factor 2 is found in positions shielded by the movable walls, at CHARM. The test campaign showed the RadFET is insensitive to the thermal neutron component of the mixed-field at CHARM.
•A two-steps Monte Carlo approach is proposed to simulate the RadFET dose response.•Experimental campaigns were conducted to test the RadFET sensitivity to neutrons.•Measurements were performed using 14 MeV and thermal neutrons beams.•Thermal neutrons at CHARM give a negligible contribution to the total dose.•The overall experiments-simulations agreement is within a factor 2.
In the context of achieving an efficient radiation monitoring system, while also aiming to increase the flexibility of the measurement system, the integrated digital and analog circuitries of the ...floating gate dosimeter (FGDOS) have been upgraded. The capability to control autonomously the recharge process and the easy access to the data allows exploiting the FGDOS in both the autonomous and passive mode. The former provides the cumulated dose measurement by a sensor coupled to a digital interface. The latter implies the reading of the dose only after the irradiation time, performing the dose detection by positioning the sensor without any supply. In this paper, the functionality and characterization of the new features of the FGDOS are demonstrated. The resolution, the dose range, and the error introduced on the measurements are discussed in detail by analyzing the results of irradiation experiments. The use of a filtering technique in different radiation environments is discussed, as well as the capability to retain the information after multiple readings and the power consumption for each configuration.
In this paper, the suitability of floating gate dosimeter as total ionizing dose (TID) detector in mixed fields, representative of large hadron collider (LHC) radiation environment, has been ...investigated. Several experiments were performed in order to characterize the dosimeter. Exposures to γ-ray were carried out to study the sensitivity and linearity of the radiation response. Experiments in mixed radiation field were performed at CERN High energy AcceleRator Mixed field facility (CHARM) at CERN together with RadFETs to compare the performances. In particular, the minimum dose to be cumulated in order to obtain the facility calibration factor has been evaluated and discussed. The effect of the temperature on the output signal has been characterized and a compensation method has been developed and implemented. The fading of the output after irradiation was measured in order to evaluate the retention of the analog information.
A CubeSat payload (PL) was designed at CERN and at the University Space Center of Montpellier, for the measurement of radiation and its effects on electronics and single event latchup recording on ...SRAM devices. The PL and the data handling modules were tested at the CERN mixed-field facility, in a Low Earth Orbit representative environment.
CERN's new generation of radiation monitoring devices for radiation protection, CROME (CERN RadiatiOn Monitoring Electronics) uses a fully reconfigurable 28 nm Xilinx Zynq SoC (System on Chip) for ...high-end embedded calculations, communication and data storage. In order to meet stringent safety requirements applicable for radiation protection instrumentation, CROME uses the FPGA section of the SoC for all safety critical functions. Whereas the SoC's dual core ARM processor is running an embedded operating system which is used both for communication with the CERN supervisory system and for data management. Due to the use of an embedded Linux OS without a virtualisation layer, the functional reliability of the SoC's FPGA section is considered much greater than the ARM processing system which can be subject to software crashes due to data corruption. This assumption had a central role in CROME's calculation architecture. In order to confirm the assumption and therefore the reliability and robustness of our design, random faults have been voluntarily induced in the SoC by exposing it to ionising radiation of sufficient energy in the CHARM facility, creating Single Event Upsets (SEU). CROME is the first known radiation monitoring system using the FPGA section of a SoC in a safety application. This paper presents the characterisation results of the system in the CHARM facility during a testing campaign of 6 months under an average dose rate of ≥0.1 Gy/day. The tests have provided valuable information on the suitability of this architecture for similar applications.
•It has been confirmed that it is possible to use an Xilinx Zynq SoC for ionising radiation monitoring equipment•With the adequate hardening mechanism, we have proven that a crash of the Linux operating system doesn’t interfere in any way with the safety critical functions implemented into the FPGA•Under mixed radiation fields, we have observed into the Xilinx Zynq SoC 7020: 117 more crashes of the PS than the PL
A high precision radiation-tolerant LVDT conditioning module Masi, A.; Danzeca, S.; Losito, R. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
05/2014, Letnik:
745
Journal Article
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Linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) position sensors are widely used in particle accelerators and nuclear plants, thanks to their properties of contact-less sensing, radiation tolerance, ...infinite resolution, good linearity and cost efficiency. Many applications require high reading accuracy, even in environments with high radiation levels, where the conditioning electronics must be located several hundred meters away from the sensor. Sometimes even at long distances the conditioning module is still exposed to ionizing radiation. Standard off-the-shelf electronic conditioning modules offer limited performances in terms of reading accuracy and long term stability already with short cables. A radiation tolerant stand-alone LVDT conditioning module has been developed using Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components. The reading of the sensor output voltages is based on a sine-fit algorithm digitally implemented on an FPGA ensuring few micrometers reading accuracy even with low signal-to-noise ratios. The algorithm validation and board architecture are described. A full metrological characterization of the module is reported and radiation tests results are discussed.
This paper describes a comparison between in-orbit single-event effects (SEE) rate measurement acquired by the CARMEN-3 experiment on-board the JASON-3 satellite (middle earth orbit, 1336 km, 66°) ...and an estimation using SEE rate calculation approaches from several facilities. A SRAM memory sensitive to single-event latchup (SEL) has been monitored in orbit, and the number of events per day was estimated using monoenergetic data coming from the Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut (protons) and Université Catholique de Louvain (heavy-ions) facilities as well as using mixed-field data coming from the Cern High energy AcceleRator Mixed field (CHARM) facility. A comparison of both estimations with respect to the in-flight measurement has been carried out.
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