The terrestrial space environment is subjected to radiations which have different origins:

• Galactic Cosmic Rays GCR;
• Solar Wind;
• Solar Flares;
• Coronal Mass Ejection (CME).

These radiations are made up of different types of particles as high energy photons, electrons, protons, alpha particles and heavy ions.

Radiation can affect the electronic characteristics of EEE parts for space application, the effects can be divided as follows:

• Total Ionizing Dose (TID) : Accumulation of ionizing dose deposition over a long time.
• Displacement Damage (DD) : Accumulation of crystal lattice defects caused by high energy radiation.
• Single Events Effects (SEE) : A high ionizing dose deposition, from a single high energy particle, occurring in a sensitive region of the device.

In order to evaluate the radiation hardness assurance for EEE components in a space environment, RGM draws up a Radiation Validation Test (RVT) plan. For each test typology, the following specifications are applicable:

FOR TID:

• ESCC 22900: Total Dose Steady-State Irradiation Test Method;
• MIL-STD-750 Method 1019.5: Steady-State Total Dose Irradiation Procedure;
• MIL-STD-883 Method 1019.7: Ionizing Radiation (Total Dose) Test Procedure.

FOR DD:

• ESCC 22500: Guidelines For Displacement Damage Irradiation Testing;
• NASA Guidelines: Proton test guidelines development;
• MIL-STD-883 Method 1017.2: Neutron Irradiation.

FOR SEE:

• ESCC 25100: Single Event Effects Test Method And Guidelines;
• JEDEC JESD57: Test Procedures for the Measurements of Single Event Effects in semiconductor devices from Heavy Ion Irradiation.

The radiation sources depend on the kind of test to be performed: