WP3

WP3 – Environmental Testing of Electronic Circuits

This work package will assess system operational performance in real-world and harsh environments (e.g. below- and above-ambient temperatures, different climate conditions, and, changing levels of RH). Methods will also be developed for assessing the performance of the electronic components and circuits in these diverse applications (e.g. New Space).
Two different types of environmental test will be applied to two different types of electronic circuit. The two types of environmental tests are: (i) age testing, where the circuits are electrically tested before and after being subjected to a range of environmental tests; and (ii) in-operando testing, where the circuits are tested whilst operating under realistic conditions. The two types of electronic circuits are: (i) PCBs, used for RF and high-speed digital electronics; and (ii) planar circuits on wafer substrates, used for microwave and millimetre-wave integrated circuits.
The work package is divided into four tasks, the aims of which are:

• Task 3.1. to electrically test the performance of PCBs before and after they have been subjected to a range of different environmental tests;
• Task 3.2. to electrically test the performance of PCBs whilst they are operating under a range of different environmental conditions;
• Task 3.3. to electrically test the performance of on-wafer planar circuits before and after they have been subjected to a range of different environmental tests;
• Task 3.4. to electrically test the performance of on-wafer planar circuits whilst they are operating under different environmental conditions.