Rad-hardened devices for medium and geosynchronous orbits
Summary
Combining rad-hard assurance levels with the board area savings and cost advantages of plastic packaging, the new portfolio brings space-grade solutions to missions in medium/geosynchronous Earth orbit (MEO/GEO) with longer lifetime requirements, as well as small satellites (smallsats) and higher density electronics, while reducing size, weight, and power (SWaP) costs. Together, Renesas’ plastic IC lineup supports multiple orbit ranges, providing the radiation performance and optimal cost balance required for a variety of satellite subsystems and payloads. “With Renesas’ new ICs, customers can enjoy the SWaP advantages of plastic packaging to save up to 50% of the board area compared to ceramic-packaged devices, while maintaining the reliability and radiation assurance required for higher orbit missions with lifespans ranging up to and beyond 15 years.” Traditionally, radiation-hardened ICs were almost exclusively produced using hermetically sealed ceramic packages, which achieved the required reliability but had significant tradeoffs in terms of size and weight. The production test flow includes 100% CSAM, X-Ray, Temperature Cycling, Static and Dynamic Burn In, and visual inspection, and aligns with the SAE AS6294/1 standard for plastic encapsulated microelectronics in space. • Giant Magneto Resistive (GMR) isolation technology delivers better radiation tolerance compared with existing space grade optocouplers on the market.