Ultra Fast Nuclear Event Detection and Circumvention System

Since modern microelectronics are capable of responding in times comparable to gamma pulse risetimes, it is critical to have circumvention techniques that offer protection against the upsets in the same time frames. In the proposed effort our team, Nu-Trek, Titan/Jaycor, and Space Micro, will couple Nu-Trek's ultra fast GaAs Photoconductive detector (PCD) technology (< 30 ps response time already demonstrated) with Titan/Jaycor's System Hardening Upset Recovery (SHUR) technology for a sub-nanosecond nuclear event detector and circumvention system, UF-SHUR. Additional features include false-write protection, prompt immune signal pass-through, hardened clock generation circuitry, multiple fault masking, off-line timer, and hardened recall registers. Engagement levels will be adjustable between E6-E10 rad(Si)/s. UF-SHUR will also significantly improve response time to protect against upsets and faults. In Phase II the technology will be applied to a specific Navy system and demonstrated. An Ultra Fast Nuclear Event Detector (UF-NED) will also be spun off as a commercial product. SHUR is a macro cell library sponsored by DTRA available to all government contractors for use in their designs and UF-SHUR will be offered as an upgrade to SHUR.