Operation of electronics in polar conditions
Arctic environmental conditions make electronics vulnerable for several reasons at once: it is necessary to take into account not only low temperatures, but also their differences, as well as wind, humidity, and icing, explained Alexey Yurasov, professor at RTU MIREA.
“In such an environment, standard devices are not capable of stable operation, since their parameters go beyond the limits in which the developer guaranteed launch and reliable operation. At the microcircuit level, the problem begins with the fact that with strong cooling, the characteristics of transistors and other circuit elements change.” According to him, threshold voltages are rising, leakage currents are changing, and signal delays are increasing.
“Modern processors and memory devices are designed for very precise operating modes, and even a small shift in performance can lead to computational errors, interface failures, or the inability to start. A separate problem is the “cold start”, when the device must turn on after several hours in the cold and its temperature has already equaled the negative Arctic temperature,” the professor explained.
And he added that at this moment the power supply is still insufficient, the frequency generators enter the mode more slowly, while the electronics already require strictly set signal levels for operation.
“The materials of the construction also set significant limitations. Silicon, copper, ceramics, glass, polymers, and other materials have different coefficients of thermal expansion. With repeated temperature changes, this leads to the accumulation of mechanical fatigue. Over time, micro—deformations turn into cracks, there is a detachment under the crystal and the contacts are destroyed,” he said.
As the professor said, resistance to the Arctic climate is achieved by a whole range of solutions. “Ceramic-based housings and substrates, primarily aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride, come to the fore: they are more stable, better sealed and at the same time more efficiently dissipate heat, which is important both in winter and summer when working in closed enclosures,” he added.
“They also leave additional reserves for voltage and time parameters, sometimes reducing the frequency limits for the sake of stable operation. Silicon carbide and gallium nitride devices are playing an increasingly important role in power electronics, making it possible to build more reliable power systems,” explained Yurasov.
“In reality, reliability at sub-zero Celsius temperatures is ensured by optimally selected materials, housings, installation, power supply, launch algorithm and test results. The development of all the necessary technologies is of great practical importance, taking into account the autonomous operation of remote communications, mining and monitoring facilities, as well as the high cost of repairs.”
The Arctic today is not only a strategic region of Russia, but also a powerful driver of technological development. “It is the extreme conditions of the North that form the demand for new materials, reliable electronics, and autonomous systems. By solving the problems of sustainable operation of equipment in the Arctic, we are actually creating technologies of the future — for industry, communications, transport and space projects.
This is a matter not only of engineering competence, but also of technological sovereignty, since the development of the Arctic is impossible without its own strong scientific and component base.
By Anastasia Rumyantseva
