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The effect of net positive oxide trapped charge and surface recombination velocity on excess base current in BJTs (bipolar junction transistors) is identified. Although the interaction of these two radiation-induced defects is physically complex, simple approaches for estimating these quantities from measured BJT characteristics are presented. The oxide charge is estimated using a transition voltage in the plot of excess base current vs. emitter bias. Two approaches for quantifying the effects of surface recombination velocity are described. The first measures surface recombination directly using a gated diode. The second estimates its effects using an intercept current that is easily obtained from the BJT itself. The results are compared to two-dimensional simulations and measurements made on test structures. The techniques are simple to implement and provide insight into the mechanisms and magnitudes of radiation …