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At least 37 records · Page 2

6H-SiC Transistor Integrated Circuits Demonstrating Prolonged Operation at 500 C

The NASA Glenn Research Center is developing very high temperature semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) for use in the hot sections of aircraft engines and for Venus exploration where ambient temperatures are well above the approximately 300 degrees Centigrade effective limit of silicon-on-insulator IC technology. In order for beneficial technology insertion to occur, such transistor ICs must be capable of prolonged operation in such harsh environments. This paper reports on the fabrication and long-term 500 degrees Centigrade operation of 6H-SiC integrated circuits based on epitaxial 6H-SiC junction field effect transistors (JFETs). Simple analog amplifier and digital logic gate ICs have now demonstrated thousands of hours of continuous 500 degrees Centigrade operation in oxidizing air atmosphere with minimal changes in relevant electrical parameters. Electrical characterization and modeling of transistors and circuits at temperatures from 24 degrees Centigrade to 500 degrees Centigrade is also described. Desired analog and digital IC functionality spanning this temperature range was demonstrated without changing the input signals or power supply voltages.

Neudeck, Philip G.

Long-Term Characterization of 6H-SiC Transistor Integrated Circuit Technology Operating at 500 C

NASA has been developing very high temperature semiconductor integrated circuits for use in the hot sections of aircraft engines and for Venus exploration. This paper reports on long-term 500 C electrical operation of prototype 6H-SiC integrated circuits based on epitaxial 6H-SiC junction field effect transistors (JFETs). As of this writing, some devices have surpassed 4000 hours of continuous 500 C electrical operation in oxidizing air atmosphere with minimal change in relevant electrical parameters.

Neudeck, Philip G.

Automatic gain control

An automatic gain control (AGC), designed to operate with the prototype Loran-C receiver, is described. The device is used to eliminate error which occurs when signals are received at different magnitudes. The automatic gain control is a three transistor circuit which requires a constant dc voltage of 8 volts. Tests conclude that this value may be in the range of 4 to 12 v without change in circuit performance. Two transistors are cascaded to pass and amplify the input signal. Their gain is controlled by a third transistor which itself is controlled by an external AGC voltage between 0 and 8 volts dc. The integrated circuit used is an 8 pin chip, which is a differential cascade amplifier designed for use in communications operating at frequencies from dc to 120 MHz. The integrated circuit was balanced for AGC capabilities, and has a wide operating current range. The maximum input current at pins 1 and 5 is 0.1 mAmps. AGC testing is described.

Roman, J. P.

Gyrator circuit using field effect transistors

Gyrator circuit is especially useful in integrated circuits for such purposes as simulating inductors with capacitors. Circuit is adaptable to semifloating and full floating configurations. It has excellent response, low power consumption, and high energy storage capacity.

Hochmair, E. S.

Transistor Level Circuit Experiments using Evolvable Hardware

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) performs research in fault tolerant, long life, and space survivable electronics for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). With that focus, JPL has been involved in Evolvable Hardware (EHW) technology research for the past several years. We have advanced the technology not only by simulation and evolution experiments, but also by designing, fabricating, and evolving a variety of transistor-based analog and digital circuits at the chip level. EHW refers to self-configuration of electronic hardware by evolutionary/genetic search mechanisms, thereby maintaining existing functionality in the presence of degradations due to aging, temperature, and radiation. In addition, EHW has the capability to reconfigure itself for new functionality when required for mission changes or encountered opportunities. Evolution experiments are performed using a genetic algorithm running on a DSP as the reconfiguration mechanism and controlling the evolvable hardware mounted on a self-contained circuit board. Rapid reconfiguration allows convergence to circuit solutions in the order of seconds. The paper illustrates hardware evolution results of electronic circuits and their ability to perform under 230 C temperature as well as radiations of up to 250 kRad.

self configuration

Pass-transistor asynchronous sequential circuits

Design methods for asynchronous sequential pass-transistor circuits, which result in circuits that are hazard- and critical-race-free and which have added degrees of freedom for the input signals, are discussed. The design procedures are straightforward and easy to implement. Two single-transition-time state assignment methods are presented, and hardware bounds for each are established. A surprising result is that the hardware realizations for each next state variable and output variable is identical for a given flow table. Thus, a state machine with N states and M outputs can be constructed using a single layout replicated N + M times.

Whitaker, Sterling R.

Field Effect Transistor /FET/ circuit for variable gin amplifiers

Amplifier circuit using two FETs combines improved input and output impedances with relatively large signal handling capability and an immunity from adverse effects of automatic gain control. Circuit has sources and drains in parallel plus a resistive divider for signal and bias to either of the gate terminals.

Spaid, G. H.

Evolvable circuit with transistor-level reconfigurability

An evolvable circuit includes a plurality of reconfigurable switches, a plurality of transistors within a region of the circuit, the plurality of transistors having terminals, the plurality of transistors being coupled between a power source terminal and a power sink terminal so as to be capable of admitting power between the power source terminal and the power sink terminal, the plurality of transistors being coupled so that every transistor terminal to transistor terminal coupling within the region of the circuit comprises a reconfigurable switch.

Stoica, Adrian

Thin-film technology development

Thin film interconnect patterns developed for three hybrid satellite resistor, diode, and transistor circuit applications

THIN FILM