A Survey of Aging of Electronics with Application to Nuclear Power Plant Instrumentation

Radiation effects and other environmental and operational stress factors which may produce degradation of electronic components (such as semiconductors, capacitors, and resistors) used in safety-related nuclear power plant instrumentation are outlined. Emphasis is on the normal operating environment and on semiconductor components in the containment area. Results suggest that aging and reliability data obtained from space and nuclear weapons programs should not be assumed to be directly applicable to nuclear plant instrumentation. In containment, the gamma dose and neutron fluence over the 40-year life of the plant are near the radiation tolerance of commercial semiconductor devices (based on total dose, short-term exposure). For radiation effects studies, simulation of the containment environment should consider both neutron and gamma radiation. Dose-rate effects and other environmental factors relevant to aging need to be determined.