Rad-hard ADC for space applications

Author: EIS Release Date: Dec 23, 2020


Renesas has announced a single-chip 14-Bit, 1-MSPS successive-approximation-register (SAR) ADC for rad-hard space applications.

Rad-hard ADC for space applications
Renesas’ Intersil brand ISL73141SEH claims best in class dynamic and static performance, including signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), effective number of bits (ENOB), integral non-linearity (INL) and differential non-linearity (DNL).
The ADC fully resets after every sample, clearing any errors that result from a single event upset (SEU) due to heavy ion radiation during spaceflight.
The ISL73141SEH is one of the key signal-path building blocks in long duration geosynchronous / geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) communication satellites and manned spacecraft, including lunar space missions.

By delivering the industry’s best dynamic and static performance, the new 14-bit ADC accurately captures real-world analogue transmissions and converts them for processing in the digital domain.
The ISL73141SEH ADC is one of seven ICs, including rad-hard temperature sensor, multiplexer, quad op amp, ADC driver, LDO and voltage reference to form a complete sensor interface signal chain solution that accelerates telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C) and flight computer system development.
The space-grade ISL73141SEH is fully characterized for enhanced low dose rate-sensitivity (ELDRS) radiation performance up to 75krad(Si) for total ionizing dose (TID) and linear energy transfer (LET) up to 86MeV*cm2/mg for single event effects (SEE).
The SEE testing also shows no single event latch-up (SEL) or single event burnout (SEB). In addition, single event transients (SETs) have also been mitigated by testing at an LET range up to 86MeV*cm2/mg.
Operating from a 3.3V supply at 750-KSPS, the chip dissipates 28mW Single supply operation simplifies system design
Highest dynamic performance isc13.3 ENOB, enabling > 12-bit resolution Superior linearity: ±0.5 LSB INL and ±0.2 LSB DNL
it meets the full  military temperature range of -55°C to +125°C Sensor Interface Signal Chain for TT&C and Flight Computer
The device is at the heart of the sensor interface signal chain and connects via SPI interface to MPUs, MCUs, and/or FPGAs to digitize sensor signals in digital TT&C subsystems and flight computers.
System designers are able to build the entire signal chain with Renesas’ Intersil brand analogue and power ICs, including: ISL71590SEH temperature sensor; ISL70444SEH quad op amp; ISL71830SEH 16-channel low voltage multiplexer; ISL70517SEH instrumentation amp with ADC driver; ISL75052SEH high voltage LDO regulator; and ISL71091SEH40 precision, low-noise voltage reference.
The device is available now in a 14-lead ceramic dual flatpack package. An evaluation board is available.r