Evolvable hardware solutions for extreme temperature electronics

TLDR

NASA missions demand temperature‑ and radiation‑tolerant electronics with long life, yet existing solutions rely on component hardening and bias‑cancellation techniques that provide only limited durability in extreme environments. The study proposes an evolvable hardware approach that enables adaptive in‑situ circuit redesign during operation in harsh conditions. The method employs evolutionary algorithms to redesign or automatically design circuits, demonstrated on a prototype chip that recovers functionality at 250 °C and can also synthesize fixed high‑temperature circuits. The approach complements material advances, extends mission survivability, and successfully synthesizes AND gates that operate accurately at 320 °C where conventional designs fail.

Abstract

Temperature and radiation tolerant electronics, as well as long life survivability are key capabilities required for future NASA missions. Current approaches to electronics for extreme environments focus on component level robustness and hardening. Compensation techniques such as bias cancellation circuitry have also been employed. However, current technology can only ensure very limited lifetime in extreme environments. This paper presents a novel approach, based on evolvable hardware technology, which allows adaptive in-situ circuit redesign/reconfiguration during operation in extreme environments. This technology would complement material/device advancements and increase the mission capability to survive harsh environments. The approach is demonstrated on a prototype chip, which recovers functionality at 250/spl deg/C. Besides the applications that provide adaptive reconfiguration, evolutionary algorithms can be used to automatically design (fixed) circuits for high temperatures. While simulations show that conventional AND gate design fails at high temperatures such as 320/spl deg/C, evolution is able to synthesize AND gate circuits operating accurately at this temperature.