Predicting the SEU error rate through fault injection for a complex microprocessor

Abstract

This paper deals with the prediction of SEU error rate for an application running on a complex processor. Both, radiation ground testing and fault injection, were performed while the selected processor, a Power PC 7448, executed a software issued from a real space application. The predicted error rate shows that generally used strategies, based on static cross-section, significantly overestimate the application error rate.