R.L. Patterson

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

A. Hammoud

QSS Group, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio

J.E. Dickman

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

S.S. Gerber

ZIN Technologies, Inc., Brook Park, Ohio

M.E. Elbuluk

University of Akron, Akron, Ohio

E. Overton

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Electronics for Deep Space

Cryogenic Applications

NASA/TM—2002-211695

October 2002
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R.L. Patterson

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

A. Hammoud

QSS Group, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio

J.E. Dickman

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

S.S. Gerber

ZIN Technologies, Inc., Brook Park, Ohio

M.E. Elbuluk

University of Akron, Akron, Ohio

E. Overton

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Electronics for Deep Space

Cryogenic Applications

NASA/TM—2002-211695

October 2002

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Prepared for the

Fifth European Workshop on Low Temperature Electronics

sponsored by the Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble

Grenoble, France, June 19–21, 2002
Available from

NASA Center for Aerospace Information

7121 Standard Drive

Hanover, MD 21076

National Technical Information Service

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Available electronically at http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov
NASA/TM2002-211695 1

ELECTRONICS FOR DEEP SPACE CRYOGENIC APPLICATIONS

R.L. Patterson

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

A. Hammoud

QSS Group, Inc.

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

J.E. Dickman

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

S. Gerber

ZIN Technologies, Inc.

Brook Park, Ohio 44142

M.E. Elbuluk

University of Akron

Akron, Ohio 44325

E. Overton

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

Abstract: Deep space probes and planetary exploration missions require electrical power management

and control systems that are capable of efficient and reliable operation in very cold temperature

environments. Typically, in deep space probes, heating elements are used to keep the spacecraft

electronics near room temperature. The utilization of power electronics designed for and operated at low

temperature will contribute to increasing efficiency and improving reliability of space power systems. At

NASA Glenn Research Center, commercial-off-the-shelf devices as well as developed components are

being investigated for potential use at low temperatures. These devices include semiconductor switching

devices, magnetics, and capacitors. Integrated circuits such as digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital

converters, DC/DC converters, operational amplifiers, and oscillators are also being evaluated. In this

paper, results will be presented for selected analog-to-digital converters, oscillators, DC/DC converters,

and pulse width modulation (PWM) controllers.

1. INTRODUCTION

Planetary exploration missions and deep space probes require electrical power management and

control systems that are capable of efficient and reliable operation in very low temperature

environments. Presently, spacecraft operating in the cold environment of deep space carry a

large number of radioisotope heating units in order to maintain the surrounding temperature of

the on-board electronics at approximately 20 °C.
NASA/TM2002-211695 2

In addition to deep space applications, low temperature electronics have potential uses in

terrestrial applications that include magnetic levitation transportation systems, medical

diagnostics, cryogenic instrumentation, and super-conducting magnetic energy storage systems.

The utilization of power electronics designed for and operated at low temperature is expected to

result in more efficient systems than room temperature systems. This improvement results from

better electronic, electrical, and thermal properties of materials at low temperatures [1–3]. In

particular, the performance of certain semiconductor devices improves with decreasing

temperature down to liquid nitrogen temperature (-196 °C) [3,4]. At low temperatures, majority

carrier devices demonstrate reduced leakage current and reduced latch-up susceptibility. In

addition, these devices show higher speed resulting from increased carrier mobility and

saturation velocity [3–5]. An example is the power MOSFET that has lower conduction losses

at low temperature due to the reduction in the drain-to-source resistance RDS(on) resulting from

increased carrier mobility [4,6,7].

2. NASA GLENN RESEARCH CENTER LOW TEMPERATURE ELECTRONICS

PROGRAM

The Low Temperature Electronics Program at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) focuses

on research and development of electrical components and systems suitable for applications in

deep space missions. Research is being conducted on devices and systems for use down to

cryogenic temperature (–196 °C). The goal of the low temperature electronics program is to

develop and demonstrate reliable, efficient, power systems capable of surviving and exploiting

the advantages of low temperature environments. The targeted systems are mission-driven and

include converters, inverters, controls, digital circuits, and special-purpose circuits. Initial

development efforts have produced the successful demonstration of low temperature operation

and cold-restart of several DC/DC converters (with outputs from 5 to 1000 Watts) utilizing

different design topologies [1,4,7]. Some of these circuits employed superconducting inductors.

In support of system development, device and component research and development

efforts are underway in critical areas of passive and active components, optoelectronic devices,

and energy generation and storage. Initially, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) devices and

components are characterized in terms of their performance at low-temperatures. When viable

commercial devices fail to meet mission requirements, efforts are then undertaken to develop

advanced components.

3. LOW TEMPERATURE R&D ACTIVITIES

3.1 Analog-to-Digital Converters

A commercial off-the-shelf 12-bit serial CMOS analog-to-digital converter, which was rated for

operation between –40 °C and +85 °C, was evaluated from room temperature to –190 °C in a

liquid nitrogen cooled chamber. Parameters investigated included voltage conversion and

control signal timing at a switching frequency of 100 kHz. Although the device had a built-in

internal voltage reference, tests were also carried out using an external voltage reference. In

either case, the device was able to provide the voltage conversions throughout the entire test

temperature range down to –190 °C. The converted output obtained using an external voltage

reference, however, was more accurate than those obtained with an internal voltage reference.

Results obtained at three different temperatures with an external reference are shown in Table 1.
NASA/TM2002-211695 3

3.2 Oscillators

A number of oscillators were designed and evaluated for low temperature operation. Figure 1

shows normalized frequency for an uncompensated silicon FET oscillator, an uncompensated

oscillator designed for ultra low temperature, and a compensated oscillator modified for low

temperature operation. It can be seen clearly that only the compensated modified oscillator was

able to hold frequency, namely within +/- 0.3 parts per million from +85 °C down to –189 °C.

3.3 DC/DC Converters

Several DC/DC converters have been built and characterized, in-house, at low temperatures.

The converters were designed or modified to operate from room temperature to –196 °C using

commercially available components such as CMOS-type devices and MOSFET switches. These

systems had output power range from 5 W to 1 kW with switching frequencies of 50 kHz to

200 kHz. Pulse width modulation technique was implemented in most of these systems with

open-loop as well as closed-loop control. The topologies included buck, boost, multi-resonant,

push-pull and full-bridge configuration [8–11].

In addition, several commercially available DC/DC converter modules were investigated

for potential use at low temperatures. For example, the output voltage of a commercial DC/DC

converter at various load levels is shown as a function of temperature in Figure 2. It can be seen

that the output voltage of this particular module tends to be steady only between +20 °C and

–20 °C. A slight reduction occurs in voltage regulation as temperature is further decreased to

–80 °C. Beyond that temperature, the converter tends to become unstable in terms of voltage

regulation. This behavior occurs regardless of the levels of the applied input voltage and

connected output load.

Another commercial DC/DC module included in this investigation faired relatively well in

terms of its output regulation with temperature. The output voltage of this converter is depicted

in Figure 3 as a function of temperature at various load levels.

3.4 PWM Controllers

Current-mode and voltage-mode pulse width modulation controllers were evaluated extensively

for low temperature operation. The performance of one of those commercial grade pulse width

modulation controller chips was evaluated between 25 °C and –190 °C. The device displayed

acceptable performance throughout the entire test temperature range. Waveforms of the device

reference voltage, oscillator, and output switching voltage, which were recorded at a control

voltage (VC) of 1.5V, are shown in Figures 4 and 5 at test temperature of 25 °C and –190 °C,

respectively. It can be seen clearly that all investigated properties did not undergo much change

with temperature, as evident from the similarity of the waveforms shown for both extreme

temperature, i.e., 25 °C and –190 °C.

4. CONCLUSION

The research efforts are focused on developing selected, mission-driven, power systems and

supporting technologies for low temperature operation. The on-going low temperature activities

include dielectric research and evaluation, power component development, and electronic

system integration and demonstration. Other research investigations comprise long-term

reliability assessment of power devices and integrated circuits and the effects of low

temperature exposure on device interconnect and packaging.
NASA/TM2002-211695 4

5. REFERENCES

1. Gerber, S.S., Patterson, R.L., Ray, B., and Stell, C., “Performance of a spacecraft DC/DC

converter breadboard modified for low temperature operation,” IECEC 96, 1, pp. 592–598.

2. Kirschman, R.K., “Low temperature electronic device operation,” Symp. Electrochemical

Society, (1991), 14.

3. Dean, M., Foty D., Saks, N., Raider, S., and Oleszel, G., “Low temperature

microelectronics: opportunities and challenges,” Proc. Symp. Low Temperature Electronic

Device Operation, Electrochemical Society, (1991), 14, pp. 25–37.

4. Ray, B., Gerber, S.S., Patterson, R.L., and Myers, I.T., “Power control electronics for

cryogenic instrumentation,” Advances in Inst. and Control, (1995), 50, 1, Int. Soc. for

Measurement and Control, pp. 131–139.

5. Kirshman, R.K., “Cold electronics: an overview,” Cryogenics, (1985), 25, 3, pp. 115–122.

6. Mueller, O., “On-resistance, thermal resistance and reverse recovery time of power

MOSFETs at 77K,” Cryogenics, (1989), 29, pp. 1006–1014.

7. Ray, B., Gerber, S.S., Patterson, R.L., and Myers, I.T., “77K Operation of a multi-resonant

power converter,” IEEE PESC’95 Record, (1995), 1, pp. 55–60.

8. Ray, B., Gerber, S.S., and Patterson, R.L., “Low temperature performance of a full-bridge

DC/DC converter,” IECEC 96, 1, pp. 553–559.

9. Ray, B., Gerber, S.S., Patterson, R.L., and Myers, I.T., “Liquid nitrogen temperature

operation of a switching power converter,” Symp. on Low Temp. Electronics and High

Temperature Superconductivity, (1995), 9, pp. 345–352.

10. Gerber, S.S., Miller, T., Patterson, R.L., and Hammoud, A., “Performance of a closed-loop

controlled high voltage DC/DC converter at cryogenic temperature,” IECEC 98, 1,

pp. 1083–1092.

11. Ray, B. and Patterson, R.L., “Wide temperature operation of a PWM DC/DC converter,”

IEEE Industry Applications Society Conference, (1995), pp. 971–976.

Table 1. Converted output voltage at

various temperatures.

Input

(V)

Output

@ 25 °C

Output

@ –100 °C

Output

@ –190 °C

0 0.007 0.010 0.010

0.5 0.505 0.498 0.508

1 1.004 1.006 1.004

2 2.000 2.002 1.993

5 4.994 4.994 5.001

7.25 7.241 7.228 7.226

10 9.983 9.963 9.963

10.1 10.000 10.000 10.000

-300 -200 -100 0 100

Temperature (C)

0.9984

0.9986

0.9988

0.999

0.9992

0.9994

0.9996

0.9998

1

1.0002

1.0004

Normalized Frequency

Uncompensated

Crystal Oscillator

Compensated

Low Temperature

Crystal Oscillator

Uncompensated

Low Temperature

Crystal Oscillator

Figure 1. Normalized frequency output

for three types of oscillators.
NASA/TM2002-211695 5

-200-180-160-140-120-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40

Temperature (°C)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Output Voltage (V)

72Vin/0.5Aout

36Vin/0.5Aout

72Vin/4.0Aout

36Vin/4.0Aout

Figure 2. Poor performance of one commercial

dc/dc converter module. Figure 3. Superior performance of another

commercial dc/dc converter.

Figure 4. Waveforms of PWM Controller at

25 °C.

Figure 5. Waveforms of PWM Controller at

–190 °C.

Time (10 us/div)

(a) Temperature = 25°C

Time (10 us/div)

(b) Temperature = -190°C

(1 V/div) Reference Voltage (1 V/div) Reference Voltage

(1 V/div) CT Ramp Signal

(5 V/div) Output Voltage

(1 V/div) CT Ramp Voltage

(5 V/div) Output Voltage

ffi i (% )

-200-180-160-140-120-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40

Temperature (°C)

0

1

2

3

4

Output Voltage (V)

36Vin/0.5Aout

18Vin/0.5Aout

36Vin/2.5Aout

18Vin/2.5Aout
This publication is available from the NASA Center for AeroSpace Information, 301–621–0390.

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NASA TM—2002-211695

E–13427

WU–297–60–10–00

11

Electronics for Deep Space Cryogenic Applications

R.L. Patterson, A. Hammoud, J.E. Dickman, S.S. Gerber,

M.E. Elbuluk, E. Overton

Cryogenic; Power; Electrical; Electronics; Space

Unclassified -Unlimited

Subject Category: 33 Distribution: Nonstandard

Prepared for the Fifth European Workshop on Low Temperature Electronics sponsored by the Institut National

Polytechnique de Grenoble, Grenoble, France, June 19–21, 2002. R.L. Patterson, J.E. Dickman, and E. Overton, NASA

Glenn Research Center; A. Hammoud, QSS Group, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio; S.S. Gerber, ZIN Technologies, Inc.,

Brook Park, Ohio; M.E. Elbuluk, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio. Responsible person, Richard Patterson, organization

code 5480, 216–433–8166.

Deep space probes and planetary exploration missions require electrical power management and control systems that are

capable of efficient and reliable operation in very cold temperature environments. Typically, in deep space probes, heating

elements are used to keep the spacecraft electronics near room temperature. The utilization of power electronics designed

for and operated at low temperature will contribute to increasing efficiency and improving reliability of space power

systems. At NASA Glenn Research Center, commercial-off-the-shelf devices as well as developed components are being

investigated for potential use at low temperatures. These devices include semiconductor switching devices, magnetics, and

capacitors. Integrated circuits such as digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters, DC/DC converters, operational

amplifiers, and oscillators are also being evaluated. In this paper, results will be presented for selected analog-to-digital

converters, oscillators, DC/DC converters, and pulse width modulation (PWM) controllers.