Rapid and long-term gamma-radiation annealing in low-dropout voltage regulators

Samples of four types of low-dropout voltage regulators, with both serial pnp and npn transistors, were examined in room-temperature isothermal gamma-radiation annealing. After uninterrupted exposure to a total ionising dose of 500 Gy, biased and loaded voltage regulators were examined in room-temperature annealing within the first 30 minutes after the exposure. Beside the on-line measurement of output voltage and quiescent current during the thirty-minute period immediately after irradiation, also results were procured after 10-year room-temperature spontaneous recovery. Data obtained during the irradiation and rapid annealing were fitted with linear, exponential and power-law regression functions. А simple procedure was proposed, based on the quiescent current annealing factor, for the quick estimation of the integrated voltage regulator’s radiation sensitivity during the post-irradiation isothermal annealing. In order to estimate the circuit’s radiation sensitivity, immediately after irradiation, tested devices have to be left in the same operating conditions as during the exposure. If a clear trend of the quiescent current recovery can be observed, further examinations have to be implemented to estimate if a circuit is acceptably radiation-tolerant. If no recovery trend can be observed within the first hour after irradiation, or even further degradation is noticed, then the examined voltage regulator is a radiation-sensitive device and cannot be used in radiation environments. The described procedure is based on the macroscopic effects of the radiation-induced charge-trapping in field oxides and interfaces.