Assessment of Displacement Damage Effects in the Radio-Electronic Equipment of a Landing Module of the Spacecraft Exomars-2020

Abstract

In this paper, we calculate the equivalent flux and nonionization dose of neutrons emitted by plutonium dioxide-based radioisotope thermal blocks (TBs) mounted as assemblies on the landing module (LM) of the spacecraft (SC) Exomars-2020. These parameters characterize the nonionization interaction of neutrons with materials of modern integrated circuits (ICs), the so-called displacement effects or structural damage. As an example, an assessment was performed for Russian devices installed on the LM at minimal distances from the TB assemblies. The results are compared with typical values ​​of IC resistance to structural damage. The sizes of the characteristic areas of the device location on the LM, where displacement effects in the IC components cannot be neglected, and moreover, can cause device failure, are also determined.