[en] A variety of processing steps were investigated to determine the steps that affect a device's radiation response. Although emphasis is traditionally placed on gate oxide and thermal processing, the physical structure during processing and energetic processes can play a role as well. The authors find that processing subsequent to the gate oxide layer can have a significant effect on the radiation hardness of a device. Optimizing a process for radiation hardness requires investigation into the entire process and not just optimization of the gate oxide or a set of individual processing steps