Accelerated beams test semiconductor devices for tolerances to
space radiation. Texas A&M University Cyclotron Institute and
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 88-Inch Cyclotron 1980’s
(LBNL); 1995, upgrades in 2001, 2003 (TAMU) Result of NP
research: Accelerator Physics development and energy loss
studies Application currently being supported by: Large number
of government and commercial agencies, including NASA JPL,
Goddard, Johnson, Aerospace Corp., DOD, Air Force, Boeing
Impact/benefit to spin-off field: Qualify components used in
space radiation environments. Solar Flares, cosmic rays, and the
Earth’s Van Allen Belts serve as natural sources of space
radiation. Such ionizing radiation can “upset” the normal
function of semiconductor components found in orbiting
communications satellites and space vehicles. The rates at which
semiconductor devices “upset” can be measured in the laboratory
with beams of high energy ions, such as those accelerated at
Texas A&M for the Radiation Effects Facility (REF) and