Radiation Hard Contactless Angular Position Sensor Based on Hall Effect

The results of the total ionizing dose (TID) and single event effect (SEE) tests on the contactless angular position sensor based on Hall effect are presented. The TID testing reveals that the devices are resistant to the gamma radiation exhibiting only a slight increase in the supply current, not more than 1 % of the initial values. In general, both the serial peripheral interface (SPI) output errors and analog output errors have recovered to their initial values after annealing at high temperatures. Only the biased sample with magnet showed a significant increase of the analog output error at higher radiation levels and did not return to its initial value, it remained about a 56 % higher. Nevertheless, the error is still within the limits for space application of the sensor. SEE tests were performed up to linear energy transfer (LET) levels of 67.7 MeV·cm2/mg and the sensors experienced neither single event latch-up (SEL) nor single event transient (SET). The upper limit of cross section for single event functional interrupt (SEFI) was found by Weibull fit as being 3.53 · 10-6cm2and the LET threshold was 15.1 MeV·cm2/mg. The SEFI rates were calculated by means of the CRÈME96 for geostationary orbit (GEO) and the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS). Calculations were performed for minimum solar and peak 5 minutes environment, and in the case of the ISS orbit also trapped particles and magnetic weather conditions were included.