Japan Makes Wi-Fi Chip Resistant to Radiation, Can Help Uncover Fukushima

JAKARTA - A Japanese research institute has developed a Wi-Fi receiver chip that can work for hours in extreme radiation. This technology is prepared to help high-risk work at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Quoted from Kyodo News, Sunday, May 31, the chip was developed by the Institute of Science Tokyo and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization.

The chip is able to survive up to 500 kilograys of radiation exposure. This figure is important because certain areas in Fukushima are still dangerous for humans, especially around nuclear fuel debris.

Atsushi Shirane, associate professor at the Advanced Integrated Electronics Research Core, hopes that this chip can expand the use of robots and drones that are remotely controlled without wires.

"Wireless remote operations using robots and drones are expected to be encouraged, allowing for a reduction in the risk of radiation exposure for workers," Shirane said.

Until now, robots have been widely used in areas of Fukushima that are not safe for humans. The nuclear power plant experienced a reactor core meltdown after a massive earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern Japan in March 2011.

The problem is, most robots still rely on cables. In complicated work such as dismantling nuclear facilities, cables can limit the movement of robots and make it difficult to use multiple robots at once.

Still according to Kyodo News, the research team presented the issue in a study presented at an international conference in San Francisco in February.

According to the researchers, the strong gamma radiation from the fuel debris at the nuclear power plant can cause chips to experience electrical leakage and signal weakening. Ordinary communication devices are not resistant enough to work in such an environment.

To overcome this, the researchers reduced the number of transistors in the Wi-Fi receiver chip. Some of the transistors were replaced with inductors, which are passive components that are more resistant to radiation.

They also enlarged the size of the remaining transistors. Larger devices are judged not to be easily damaged by radiation exposure.

In performance tests, the chip still allowed wireless communication to run normally after being exposed to very high doses of radiation. According to the research team, the dose was more than 1,000 times above the limit for semiconductors designed for space activities.

This technology is not only intended for Fukushima. Researchers say the radiation-resistant Wi-Fi chip can also be used for space missions and the development of wireless infrastructure in extreme environments.

If successfully implemented, this chip could help robots and drones work more freely in dangerous areas, while human workers stay further away from radiation sources.