Re: [amsat-bb] Re: PIC Controllers

[ivan <galysh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have done radiation testing on the PIC16C77 and the PIC16C73 using 
protons and a cobalt source. The PICs are quite radiation tolerant. At 
slow dose rates (200 rads a minute), I have had PICS function after 
96Krads of total dose from a cobalt source. The EPROM was erased at 
25Krads total dose at a dose rate of 2Krads/minute. I was able to 
reprogram it and run for another 10Krads before a complete failure. For 
SEUs, expect single event upsets at about 3MeV. Latchups occured at 
about 17MeV. This was using a laser simulating high energy particles.
The testing was done on the EPROM version. I did test a PIC16F73 and it 
failed at 9 Krads at 2krad/minute. I never tested for single event 
upsets or latchups.

Using a proton source, the PICs have been tested to an equivelant of 17 
year life in LEO.

Want to use a real time clock chip, check out the Xicor X1226 which is 
now owned by Intersil. It did not fail during proton testing, no latch 
ups or single event upsets.

Ivan



Assi Friedman wrote:

>There are a number of PIC controllers flying on ham and commercial birds.
>Assi kk7kx/4x1kx
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