ISIS ChipIr Science Highlights

ChipIr Science Highlights

Our Science Highlight articles cover the diverse research that takes place at our facility. Read all our Science Highlight articles using ChipIr below:

Using DNA for data storage
Microsoft researchers based in Redmond, USA, have used neutron irradiation to investigate the resiliency of DNA as a medium for digital data storage.
Robotic arm speeds up commercial testing of electric vehicle components
As part of a long-running collaboration with the ChipIr team, electronics company Infineon has adapted a robot arm specifically to help with their neutron irradiation experiments.
Historical insight gained by a mosaic of experimental techniques
Using a range of different methods, including multiple ISIS beamlines, Giulia Marcucci has investigated what the ancient glassmakers used to create a variety of colours in ancient mosaic tiles.
Improving AI reliability for space and safety-critical applications
Deep learning is a critical factor in the safety of automotive and aerospace applications. Neutron experiments on ChipIr can help improve their reliability and prevent failures in the field.
Testing spacecraft circuit board endurance from across the Atlantic
A team from Brigham Young University (BYU), USA visited ISIS this cycle, to test complex computer processor and memory systems used in spacecraft computers, to achieve a better understanding as to how they fail and how to make them more reliable.
From mentoring to radiation testing
After being paired with ISIS beamline scientist Carlo Cazzaniga on an internal mentoring scheme, Rebecca Harwin from STFC’s RAL Space realised that the ChipIr instrument could be helpful in her work testing satellite components.
100 publications for ChipIr
The ISIS chip irradiation beamline has now been used in over 100 published studies since it came online in 2017
Testing the resilience of electronics for the Internet of Things
Using ChipIr, researchers have studied how ultralow power system-on-chip is affected by the neutron flux in the atmosphere. This study may be helpful in future design of such devices to be more resilient to particle hits.
Transcontinental testing of electronic chips
Using remote access during a period of travel restrictions, researchers from Brazil and Italy were able to test the resilience of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) using ChipIr.
Understanding neutron-caused errors in electronics
Researchers have used ChipIr’s high-intensity neutron beam to showcase effective reliability improvements for commercially available Artificial Intelligence (AI) accelerators.
Preparing robots to survive longer in extreme radiation environments
Scientists from the University of Essex have developed a method that helps protect the workings of robots when they're exposed to radiation
New compact neutron sources at ISIS: from driverless cars to dark matter
Two new desktop fusion devices are being installed at ISIS for testing the effects of cosmic rays and space weather on electronics, and supporting the search for dark matter.
Could thermal neutrons be a threat to reliable supercomputing and self-driving cars?
An investigation into the effect of thermal neutrons on commercial computing devices finds that the failure rate due to thermal neutron damage in some environments is high enough to be a significant threat to device reliability.
Simulated moon dust on ChipIr
Scientists from the European Space Agency (ESA) and DLR-Cologne are using ChipIr to study lunar soil analogues to investigate their potential use for radiation shielding of future lunar habitats.
Testing the robustness of space electronics against more than 100,000 years’ worth of neutrons
Of the many challenges involved in space travel the threat of high energy neutrons may have never crossed your mind. But these subatomic particles can disrupt the electronics that space missions rely on, so we must thoroughly test their impact.
Staying safe in the skies
It may surprise you to learn just how much ISIS has contributed to airline safety over the last few years, so here are some examples of how science is helping to keep us safe.
Case study: When the chips are down
ISIS is helping aerospace companies tackle the challenge of cosmic radiation and its damaging effect on microchips in aircraft.