First results from from the test with neutrons at the PROSPERO 30.9 1998
 
Contents:    1)    Temperature measurements during the test
                    2)    Reference resistor measurments during the test
                    3)    Test of optocouplers  (non- powered)
                    4)    Test of microcontrollers (non-powered)

Last Updated on 16/11/98


1) Temperature tests

The temperature at the experimental area as measured by the LMB. The probe Pt4 was moved to the heatsink of the CCDs tested by Harry van der Graaf of Nikhef. The irradiations started 9:41 and stopped 10:22 for the first period. with about 2 1011   neutrons/cm2 reached  at a distance of 3m.  A second period started after 11:40 and full intensity was reached 12:00. The readout of the LMB analog part stopped at 12:07, while the CAN controller was working at the end of the test 15:10. The tests show that communication with the analog part could stand a total does rate of 31011 while the digital CAN controller was still working for a total dose rate of about 91012  neutrons/cm2
 
Figure 1 The temperature measured during the Prospero test.
 
 

 

2)  Measurements of the reference resistor during the tests.


Figure 2 The change in the 3 reference resistors has measured by the LMB during the PROSPERO tests.


Tests of optocouplers

29 optocouplers were measured and divided into 3 lots with the same Current Transfer Ratio  in average.
The lots were subject to different levels  irradiations. The results are shown in the Table below and in the Figure 3.
 
        Dose in n/cm2 (equiv 1MeV)
  Initial CTR (%)     21011 71011 91012
Component lot 1 lot 2 lot 3 lot 1 lot 2 lot 3
PP1 163.6     94.8    
PP2   155.8     32.1  
PP3     163.9     0.9
PP4 153.8     88.7    
PP5   153.9     32.5  
PP6 140.9     74.8    
PP7 168.9     88.8    
PP8     166.4     0.9
PP9 155.4     78.8    
PP10 170.4     93.6    
PP11   168.8     34.0  
PP12     161.6     0.9
PP13 156.9     87.6    
PP14     126.4      
PP15   149.9     29.6  
PP16   158.5     36.1  
PP17     171.5     1.0
PP18   148.6     43.5  
PP19   156.3     41.0  
PP20     138.6     0.9
PP21 155.5     83.0    
PP22            
PP23     165.2     0.9
PP24 CTR=154.2(ref)            
PP25     157.9     0.9
PP26   132.7     32.2  
PP27     139.8     1.0
PP28 not tested   166.4        
PP29     153.24     0.95
CTR mean value of lot 158.2 154.5 154.4 86.3 35.1 0.93
CTR in % of original 100% 100% 100% 54.5% 22.7% 0.6%
 
Chart Optocoupler SHF601-3

Figure 3   The change in current transfer ratio as function of neutron irradiation. At a does rate of  7x1011  3 out of 8 optocoupler still worked.  Tests at CERN show that
by increasing the gain of the circuit in which the optocouplers are used it should be possible to use them up to about 3x1012 n/cm2.
 
 

4) Test of microcontroller AT90S1200.

 Five AT90S1200 were programmed with a test pattern in 1024  bytes of flash and 64 bytes of EEPROM memories. They were subjected to 9x1012   All devices were still working without any  memory erased after the tests.
 

Last Updated on 16/11/98