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At least 37 records · Page 2

Results from the First Two Flights of the Static Computer Memory Integrity Testing Experiment

This paper details the scientific objectives, experiment design, data collection method, and post flight analysis following the first two flights of the Static Computer Memory Integrity Testing (SCMIT) experiment. SCMIT is designed to detect soft-event upsets in passive magnetic memory. A soft-event upset is a change in the logic state of active or passive forms of magnetic memory, commonly referred to as a "Bitflip". In its mildest form a soft-event upset can cause software exceptions, unexpected events, start spacecraft safeing (ending data collection) or corrupted fault protection and error recovery capabilities. In it's most severe form loss of mission or spacecraft can occur. Analysis after the first flight (in 1991 during STS-40) identified possible soft-event upsets to 25% of the experiment detectors. Post flight analysis after the second flight (in 1997 on STS-87) failed to find any evidence of soft-event upsets. The SCMIT experiment is currently scheduled for a third flight in December 1999 on STS-101.

Hancock, Thomas M., III

Self-Stabilizing Storage Loops for Magnetic-Bubble Memories

Adjacent, sinusoidal loops provide defect-tolerant, self-stabilizing structures. New technology consists of three components providing self-stabilizing structures. First, apertures positioned so bubbles propagate alternately into hexagonally related positions and directly opposed positions; addition of straight barriers by ion milling or implantation of garnet adds transverse stability but leaves longitudinally metastable postions. Second, modification of barrier to sinusoidal shape provides "energy wells" in longitudinal direction at opposed positions and eliminates metastability. Third, positioning and phasing of counterrotating storage loops, provide stable hexagonal support between adjacent loops.

Nelson, Gary L.

Interaction between Convection and Heat Transfer in Crystal Growth

Crystals are integral components in some of our most sophisticated and rapidly developing industries. Single crystals are solids with the most uniform structures that can be obtained on an atomic scale. Because of their structural uniformity, crystals can transmit acoustic and electromagnetic waves and charged particles with essentially no scattering or interferences. This transparency, which can be selectively modified by controlled additions of impurities known as dopants, is the foundation of modern electronic industry. It has brought about widespread application of crystals in transistors, lasers, microwave devices, infrared detectors, magnetic memory devices, and many other magnets and electro-optic components. The performance of a crystal depends strongly on its compositional homogeneity. For instance, in modern microcircuitry, compositional variations of a few percent (down to a submicron length scale) can seriously jeopardize predicted yields. Since crystals are grown by carefully controlled phase transformations, the compositional adjustment in the solid is often made during growth from the nutrient. Hence, a detailed understanding of mass transfer in the nutrient is essential. Moreover, since mass transfer is often the slowest process during growth, it is usually the rate limiting mechanism. Crystal growth processes are usually classified according to the nature of the parent phase. Nevertheless, whether the growth occurs by solidification from a melt (melt growth), nucleation from a solution (solution growth), condensation from a vapor (physical vapor transport) or chemical reaction of gases (chemical vapor deposition), the parent phase is a fluid. As is with most non-equilibrium processes involving fluids, liquid or vapor, fluid motion plays an important role, affecting both the concentration and temperature gradients at the soli-liquid interface.

Source record

Vertical-Bloch-Line Memory

Vertical-Bloch-line memory is developmental very-large-scale integrated-circuit block-access magnetic memory. Stores data in form of localized pairs of twists (VBL pairs) in magnetic field at edge of ferromagnetic domain in each stripe. Presence or absence of VBL pair at bit position denotes one or zero, respectively. Offers advantages of resistance to ionizing radiation, potential areal storage density approximately less than 1 Gb/cm squared, data rates approximately less than 1 Gb/s, and average access times of order of milliseconds. Furthermore, mass, volume, and demand for power less than other magnetic and electronic memories.

Katti, Romney R.

Non-volatile magnetic random access memory

Improvements are made in a non-volatile magnetic random access memory. Such a memory is comprised of an array of unit cells, each having a Hall-effect sensor and a thin-film magnetic element made of material having an in-plane, uniaxial anisotropy and in-plane, bipolar remanent magnetization states. The Hall-effect sensor is made more sensitive by using a 1 m thick molecular beam epitaxy grown InAs layer on a silicon substrate by employing a GaAs/AlGaAs/InAlAs superlattice buffering layer. One improvement avoids current shunting problems of matrix architecture. Another improvement reduces the required magnetizing current for the micromagnets. Another improvement relates to the use of GaAs technology wherein high electron-mobility GaAs MESFETs provide faster switching times. Still another improvement relates to a method for configuring the invention as a three-dimensional random access memory.

Katti, Romney R.

Integrated semiconductor-magnetic random access memory system

The present disclosure describes a non-volatile magnetic random access memory (RAM) system having a semiconductor control circuit and a magnetic array element. The integrated magnetic RAM system uses CMOS control circuit to read and write data magnetoresistively. The system provides a fast access, non-volatile, radiation hard, high density RAM for high speed computing.

Katti, Romney R.

Nonvolatile Memory Technology for Space Applications

This slide presentation reviews several forms of nonvolatile memory for use in space applications. The intent is to: (1) Determine inherent radiation tolerance and sensitivities, (2) Identify challenges for future radiation hardening efforts, (3) Investigate new failure modes and effects, and technology modeling programs. Testing includes total dose, single event (proton, laser, heavy ion), and proton damage (where appropriate). Test vehicles are expected to be a variety of non-volatile memory devices as available including Flash (NAND and NOR), Charge Trap, Nanocrystal Flash, Magnetic Memory (MRAM), Phase Change--Chalcogenide, (CRAM), Ferroelectric (FRAM), CNT, and Resistive RAM.

Oldham, Timothy R.

Evaluation of Magnetoresistive RAM for Space Applications

Magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) is a non-volatile memory that exploits electronic spin, rather than charge, to store data. Instead of moving charge on and off a floating gate to alter the threshold voltage of a CMOS transistor (creating different bit states), MRAM uses magnetic fields to flip the polarization of a ferromagnetic material thus switching its resistance and bit state. These polarized states are immune to radiation-induced upset, thus making MRAM very attractive for space application. These magnetic memory elements also have infinite data retention and erase/program endurance. Presented here are results of reliability testing of two space-qualified MRAM products from Aeroflex and Honeywell.

Heidecker, Jason

Uniform rotating field network structure to efficiently package a magnetic bubble domain memory

A unique and compact open coil rotating magnetic field network structure to efficiently package an array of bubble domain devices is disclosed. The field network has a configuration which effectively enables selected bubble domain devices from the array to be driven in a vertical magnetic field and in an independent and uniform horizontal rotating magnetic field. The field network is suitably adapted to minimize undesirable inductance effects, improve capabilities of heat dissipation, and facilitate repair or replacement of a bubble device.

Wolfshagen, Ronald G.