Radiation characterization of a Monolithic nuclear event detector

A monolithic dose-rate nuclear event detector (NED) has been evaluated as a function of radiation pulse width. The dose-rate trip level of the NED was evaluated in 'near' minimum and maximum sensitivity configurations for pulse widths from 20 to 250 ns and at dose rates from 10/sup 6/ to 10/sup 9/ rads(Si)/s. The trip level varied up to a factor of approximately 16 with pulse width. At each pulse width the trip level can be varied intentionally by adding external resistors. Neutron irradiations caused an increase in the trip level, while electron irradiations, up to a total-dose of 50 krads(Si), had no measurable effect. This adjustable dose-rate-level detector should prove valuable to designers of radiation-hardened systems. >