The Institute for Space and Defense Electronics at Vanderbilt University leads the Center of Excellence in Radiation Effects sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). The $5 million, five-year program is developing tools, experimental techniques, theoretical understanding and models that can be applied to multiple emerging technologies that will be integral to advanced satellite systems, GPS navigation, remote sensing, communications and other electronics applications. The capabilities developed through the center will contribute to a wide range of Department of Defense programs and systems. The DOD currently funds work on many electronic and photonic systems that have the potential to provide dramatic improvements in space microelectronics, but little is known about how these new systems will perform or survive in extreme environments, particularly those with significant radiation requirements.
