TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS) PolyRAD, a radiation shielding material, was demonstrated in a Phase I study. Three densities were fabricated: 15.3, 10.0, and 4.0 g/cc with mass and dimensional deviations of 0.27 % and 0.3 %, 0.6 % and 0.6 %, and 1.2 % and 1.4 % respectively. Outgassing tests yielded TML's less than 0.06 % and CVCM's less than 0.02 %. Mechanical flex and shear property tests showed the expected increase in modulus with density and strengths sufficient to enable handling without breakage. Data from electron radiation exposure tests and theoretical modeling agreed well for the three densities thus there is confidence in modeling prediction that a 20-mil (0.051 cm) PolyRAD shield can reduce the annual TID in GEO to less than 5 krads/year. These technical performances, combined with its simple and low-cost application to individual parts or large board, are a clear indication that PolyRAD can reliably and cost effectively enable successful commercial and NASA/DOD space applications of state-of-the-art, commercial-off-the-shelf microelectronics. The work planned for Phase II is intended to introduce and apply PolyRAD in the NASA and commercial communities.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS The application of PolyRAD is to provide a total incident dose (TID) durability for microelectronic devices that is orders of magnitude more than their design. This is particularly important for use of commercial-off-the-shelf, state-of-the-art devices, analog or digital, large or small, simple or complex, that provide hi-speed and hi-volume data capacities but have insufficient radiation dose durability. PolyRAD will be marketed as a radiation shielding of either individual or arrays of microelectronic devices, ultimately as the packaging material. Commercial applications are as broad and in depth as are the needs for reduction of radiation TID in space. Upcoming NASA programs will benefit from PolyRAD by enabling COTS for micro- and nano-satellite applications. This will reduce costs and provide reliable hi-speed, hi-capacity devices. Several of the deep space probes such as the mission to Europa must deal with severe total dose threats. Defense satellites, including the next generation GPS and MILSTAR, continue to require TID well above that of most COTS silicon. Pure commercial ventures (Skybridge, FaiSAT, Orbcomm) need drastically reduced costs for economic viability. The total market for microelectronics in space is projected at over $1.3B in 2006.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip) Edward Long Longhill Engineering 140 New Hope - Crimora Road Waynesboro , VA 22980 - 1209
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip) Longhill Engineering 140 New Hope - Crimora Road Waynesboro , VA 22980 - 1209