[Poohbah]

"Radiation hardened" has a multiplicity of meanings. The stuff we sold, IIRC, was designed to cope with charged-particle bombardment (solar wind, et cetera). The chips for nuclear missiles and warheads require the ability to withstand a higher-than-average neutron flux during their regular service life and brief exposure to EXTREMELY high neutron flux during the flight of the missile to the target.

The two forms of shielding are radically different--charged particles are stopped by a Faraday cage of sufficient strength, while neutrons (having no electrical charge) can only be stopped by using enough low density material (hydrocarbon-based resins and the like).

[CJ Wolf]

Ok, enough technobable so did he give the chinese stuff to use against us or not?

[Hodar]

The chips for nuclear missiles and warheads require the ability to withstand a higher-than-average neutron flux during their regular service life and brief exposure to EXTREMELY high neutron flux during the flight of the missile to the target.

I understand the higher than average neutron flux while in storage, and the need to withstand that without degrading. But, why would they need to survive the extremely high neutron flux at the end of a long flight? Once things go 'boom' ... who cares if an accumlator drops a bit?

[neverdem]

What's a Faraday Cage, and how are neutrons defeated by low density materials?

[demlosers]

The two forms of shielding are radically different--charged particles are stopped by a Faraday cage of sufficient strength, while neutrons (having no electrical charge) can only be stopped by using enough low density material (hydrocarbon-based resins and the like).

Faraday cage explain?