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NTT demonstrates identical semiconductor failure rates from proton and neutron exposure
Friday, February 27, 2026 at 10:56 PM
NTT and its partners have demonstrated for the first time that the soft error rates in semiconductors caused by protons and neutrons are identical, a discovery that simplifies radiation hardening and reliability testing for chips used in high-altitude and space environments.
Context
NTT has achieved a world-first by demonstrating that high-energy protons, which dominate space environments, and neutrons, common in Earth’s atmosphere, cause semiconductor malfunctions at identical rates. Previously, the industry lacked empirical data comparing the impact of these two particles in high-energy bands. This discovery confirms that soft errors in advanced chips are driven by energy levels rather than the specific particle type, streamlining the risk assessment process for next-generation hardware.
This finding is a significant development for the aerospace and satellite industries, as it allows manufacturers to use terrestrial neutron testing facilities to accurately predict how chips will behave in orbit. By validating that malfunction probabilities are equal, NTT reduces the need for expensive, specialized proton beam testing, potentially lowering R&D costs and accelerating the development of resilient AI processors for space applications. This research strengthens NTT’s position in the global supply chain for high-reliability infrastructure as demand for orbital computing and 6G integration scales.
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