An introduction to natural radiations and their detrimental effects on electronic devices

Frédéric Wrobel

doi:10.5802/crmeca.310

Review article

An introduction to natural radiations and their detrimental effects on electronic devices

Frédéric Wrobel ¹

¹ Montpellier University, IES UMR-CNRS5214, France

Comptes Rendus. Mécanique, Volume 353 (2025), pp. 989-997

This article is part of the thematic issue A tribute to Abbé Bertholon - Abbé Bertholon: his life, his work and his successors in the 21st century edited by Bruno Chanetz.

Abstract (Original language)
Résumé

Modern electronic devices are naturally exposed to radiative environments, particularly in aerospace and avionics applications. This radiation is a major challenge, as it can lead to breakdowns and long-term degradation of electronic components. It comes from galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), the Sun and the Earth’s radiation belts. They give rise to three main families of malfunctions: Total Ionizing Dose (TID), Displacement Damage (DD) and Single Event Effects (SEEs).

SEEs, in particular Single Event Upsets (SEUs), are of particular concern, as a single particle can alter the information in a memory bit, leading to critical errors. Monte Carlo simulations are widely used to predict and mitigate these effects. These probabilistic methods can be used to estimate SEU rates and develop hardening strategies. Monte Carlo predictive tools simulate the interaction of particles with electronic devices to assess their vulnerability.

Although Monte Carlo simulations have their limitations, particularly in modeling sensitive volumes and nuclear interactions, they remain essential for the aerospace and automotive industries. With the miniaturization of components, susceptibility to SEUs is increasing, underlining the need to improve these prediction tools and to pursue research into the reliability of components exposed to radiation.

Les dispositifs électroniques modernes sont naturellement exposés à des environnements radiatifs, notamment dans l’aérospatial et les applications avioniques. Ces radiations constituent un défi majeur, car elles peuvent provoquer des pannes et une dégradation à long terme des composants électroniques. Elles proviennent des rayons cosmiques galactiques (GCRs), du Soleil et les ceintures de radiations terrestres. Elles engendrent trois familles de dysfonctionnements principaux : la dose ionisante totale (TID), les effets de déplacement (DD) et les effets singuliers (SEEs).

Les SEEs, en particulier les Single Event Upsets (SEUs), sont préoccupants, car une seule particule peut modifier l’information d’un bit de mémoire, entraînant des erreurs critiques. Pour prédire et atténuer ces effets, les simulations de type Monte Carlo sont largement utilisées. Ces méthodes probabilistes permettent d’estimer les taux de SEU et d’élaborer des stratégies de durcissement. Les outils, dits de prédiction, simulent l’interaction des particules avec les dispositifs électroniques afin d’évaluer leur vulnérabilité.

Bien que les simulations Monte Carlo présentent des limites, notamment dans la modélisation des volumes sensibles et des interactions nucléaires, elles restent essentielles pour l’industrie aérospatiale et automobile. Avec la miniaturisation des composants, la susceptibilité aux SEUs augmente, soulignant la nécessité d’améliorer ces outils de prédiction et de poursuivre les recherches sur la fiabilité des composants exposés aux radiations.

Received: 2025-02-21
Accepted: 2025-06-16
Published online: 2025-08-20

DOI: 10.5802/crmeca.310

Keywords: Radiations, Single Event Upset, Monte Carlo simulations, Electronic reliability
Mots-clés : Radiations, Evénement Singulier, Simulations Monte Carlo, Fiabilité électronique

Author's affiliations:

Frédéric Wrobel ¹

¹ Montpellier University, IES UMR-CNRS5214, France

License:

CC-BY 4.0

Copyrights: The authors retain unrestricted copyrights and publishing rights

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Frédéric Wrobel. An introduction to natural radiations and their detrimental effects on electronic devices. Comptes Rendus. Mécanique, Volume 353 (2025), pp. 989-997. doi: 10.5802/crmeca.310

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