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Improving Electronic Circuit and System Reliability Using Embedded Prognostics--Ridgetop Group, Inc., 731 W. Orange Tree Place, Tucson, AZ  85704; 520-621-6180

Dr. Harold G. Parks, Principal Investigator, parks@ece.arizona.edu 

Dr. Harold G. Parks, Business Official, parks@ece.arizona.edu 

DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-01ER83300

Amount:  $99,964

Reliability prognostic monitors, needed in nuclear physics electronic systems, must be self-contained predictors of an impending circuit/system failure at the device/sub-circuit level.  This project will develop circuits capable of functioning as prognostic cells for dynamic AC oxide failure, for dynamic AC hot carrier damage, and for radiation damage.  In Phase I, the functionality of each cell will be demonstrated using simulation.  The starting point for the development of the AC oxide failure cell will be the existing static oxide failure cell.  The starting point for the development of both the AC hot carrier damage and the radiation damage prognostic cell will be the existing static hot carrier damage cell.  Prototype demonstrators for each prognostic cell will be built and fully evaluated during Phase II.

Commercial Applications And Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The availability of reusable, pre-designed, pre-tested prognostic cells for common semiconductor failure modes should find wide applicability in automotive, medical and industrial process control applications.  For automotive applications, an electronics control module about to become defective could be identified before failure and replaced as part of the vehicle’s periodic maintenance program.  In medical applications, a heart pacemaker could be replaced in a patient prior to a catastrophic problem.  For process control applications, disasters can be averted by switching to backup process controllers when an upcoming failure event is predicted.