A Radiation-Hardened Accelerometer Preamplifier for 2 × 108 Rads(Si) Total Dose

The application of a radiation-hardened preamplifier used in a relief-valve monitoring system for nuclear power plants is described. Design objectives and design details are given for the preamplifier, with particular attention directed toward radiation tolerance against the postulated gamma accident dose of 2 × 108 rads(air) for nuclear power plant containment. Data presented from a semiconductor device radiation test, as well as radiation testing on the preamplifier, support its capability to survive this accident dose. The preamplifier is built from commercial discrete JFET and bipolar transistor components.