Radiation hardening is making electronic components and systems resistant to damage or malfunctions caused by ionizing radiation (particle radiation and high-energy electromagnetic radiation), such as those encountered in outer space, high-altitude flight, around nuclear reactors, particle accelerators, during nuclear accidents or nuclear warfare.
Most semiconductor electronic components are susceptible to radiation damage; radiation-hardened components are based on their commercial equivalents, with some design and manufacturing variations that reduce the susceptibility to radiation damage. Due to the extensive development and testing required to produce a radiation-tolerant design of a microelectronic chip, radiation-hardened chips tend to lag behind the most recent developments.
Read more about Radiation Hardening: Problems Caused By Radiation, Major Radiation Damage Sources, Radiation-hardening Techniques, Nuclear Hardness For Telecommunication
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—Camille Paglia (b. 1947)
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