Single event effects in pulse width modulation controllers

Abstract

SEE testing was performed on pulse width modulation (PWM) controllers which are commonly used in switching mode power supply systems. The devices are designed using both Set-Reset (SR) flip-flops and Toggle (T) flip-flops which are vulnerable to single event upset (SEU) in a radiation environment. Depending on the implementation of the different devices the effect can be significant in spaceflight hardware.

Single event burnout sensitivity of embedded field effect transistors

“…Hence they are calld BiCMOS. SEU (single event upset) sensitivity of some PWMs has been detected [6], [7]. In these observations, SEUs aredetected as changes in the output waveform (pulses) or the clock output.…”

Correlation of Heavy-Ion and Laser Testing on a DC/DC PWM Controller

“…The supervisory circuit monitors all other blocks to generate the "Power Good" signal, which is used to monitor the health of the DC/DC converter. Single events can affect any one of these circuits [1,7,12,13,18,19]. However, hits to the PWM often do not significantly disturb the output voltage of the converter because perturbations of individual duty cycles are filtered by the LC low-pass filter on the output of the converter.…”

Total-dose and single-event effects in DC/DC converter control circuitry

“…The different event types observed at the output of the SG1525 are shown, and the type of circuitry associated with each type of event is discussed. In addition to power converters, SEE in pulse width modulators (PWMs) is a significant issue in many other applications [6], [7], so understanding the SEE response of the PWM devices considered here is important.…”