Testing at system level is evaluated by measuring the sensitivity of point-of-load (PoL) converter parameters, submitted to total ionizing dose (TID) irradiations, at both system and component levels. Testing at system level shows that the complete system can be fully functional at the TID level more than two times higher than the qualification level obtained using a standard-based component-level approach. Analysis of the failure processes shows that the TID tolerance during testing at system level is increased due to internal compensation in the system. Finally, advantages and shortcomings of the testing at system level are discussed.

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Power cycling of the Point-of-Load converter is observed during system level heavy ions tests. This event has low cross section and is observed for reduced supply voltage of device under test. Laser tests are used to reproduce this effect and show that it might be due to propagation of single event transients from the voltage reference to operational amplifier being part of the undervoltage protection circuit. Laser tests show that propagating transients are the ones with high enough positive peak and insignificant negative peak value whereas some transients with bigger maximum and/or peak to peak value do not propagate. SPICE simulation shows that in operational amplifier with low voltage difference between V+ and V-, there is difference in propagation of unipolar and bipolar transients from input to output of the amplifier. Analysis of the voltage controlled current source in the amplifier explains also difference in propagation of bipolar transients with negative peak followed by positive peak and with positive peak followed by negative peak.

System-level radiation testing of electronics is evaluated, based on test examples of the System-in-Package (SiP) module irradiations. Total ionizing dose and single event effects tests are analyzed to better understand the opportunities and limitations of the system-level approach in the context of the radiation qualification of electronics. Impact on the SiP product development is discussed.