Statistical Tools for Designing Tests of Mitigated Memories

Electronics in harsh radiation environments require protection from radiation-induced events that alter memory and processing values. While mitigation methods exist, they are stymied by accumulating events, rendering the mitigation useless. Furthermore, accurately measuring the error rate of mitigation methods to predict deployed mitigation error rates can be challenging. This article introduces test design methodologies for radiation testing the effectiveness of mitigation techniques in components. These test designs address the limitations of previous approaches by considering realistic scenarios, including the occurrence of multiple events from a single particle strike. Furthermore, the proposed test designs offer solutions for situations where measuring the mitigation errors is difficult. These test design methodologies can help experimenters to determine if the mitigation strategy provides adequate protection for the deployed system and identifies potential vulnerabilities.