Ridgetop Group will develop a low-cost reliability and radiation effects characterization tool for state-of-the art silicon-germanium (SiGe) fabrication processes. The significance of this innovation is that SiGe bipolar complementary metal oxide semiconductor (BiCMOS) integrated circuits (ICs) have demonstrated extremely high performance for critical DOD applications, and SiGe has also been shown to have low susceptibility to total dose and displacement damage radiation effects, making SiGe a strong candidate for space applications. Ridgetops ProChek characterization tool will support the wider application of SiGe circuits in advanced spacecraft and missile systems, which can improve production yield and help reduce costs.
Keywords: Single-Event Effects, Rad Hard, Radiation, Total Ionizing Dose, Displacement Damage, Hbt, Sige Bicmos
