Microsemi Announces Completion of 26 Million Device-Hours of FPGA Reliability Testing
17 July 2012 : PRODUCT NEWS
ALISO VIEJO, Calif.—July 17, 2012—Microsemi Corporation (Nasdaq: MSCC), a leading provider of semiconductor solutions differentiated by power, security, reliability and performance, today announced that an independent organization providing technical and scientific research, development and advisory services to national security space programs has completed reliability testing of Microsemi’s commercial-grade Axcelerator® FPGAs. The tests lasted more than four years with an accumulated total of more than 26 million device-hours of testing without a single antifuse failure.
Microsemi’s Axcelerator FPGAs are the commercial equivalent of Microsemi’s space-flight RTAX-S/SL FPGAs and share the same CMOS structures, antifuse technology, materials, processing, dimensions and programming attributes. The RTAX-S/SL FPGAs are also radiation-tolerant and include flip-flops protected against radiation-induced upsets by built-in triple-module redundancy (TMR).
“The rigorous independent high-performance tests and unprecedented amount of associated reliability data prove that our Axcelerator FPGAs are extremely reliable,” said Paul Ekas, vice president of Marketing for SoC products at Microsemi.
The testing process involved programming parts with a stringent design featuring excellent observability of failure mechanisms prior to the start of the tests. In addition, the tests included a combination of high temperature operating life (HTOL), low temperature operating life (LTOL) and temperature cycle tests.
About Microsemi’s Space Solutions
For the last 55 years, Microsemi has developed products for use in space systems. The company’s broad portfolio of radiation-hardened and radiation-tolerant space products also includes ASICs, RF components, diodes, transistors, MOSFETS, hybrids, power supplies, custom semiconductor packaging and integrated power distribution systems.
Microsemi’s RTAX-S/SL radiation-tolerant FPGAs are specifically designed for space applications using highly reliable and non-volatile antifuse technology, which, unlike SRAM FPGAs, does not require costly and complex mitigation to prevent configuration upsets induced by radiation. They are offered in densities of up to 4 million equivalent system gates and 840 user I/Os. Additional features include
hot-swap and cold-sparing capabilities. For space applications that have a need for lower standby current, Microsemi RTAX-SL FPGAs have less than half the standby current of the standard product at worst-case conditions. Additional features include:
- Up to 540 kbits of embedded memory with optional EDAC protection
- Total dose: 300 kRads (functional) and 200 kRads (parametric)
- Single event upset (SEU) immunity
- Multiple packing options (CQFP and CCGA/LGA)
- Screening: E-Flow (Microsemi extended flow), B-Flow (Mil-STD-883B), and V-Flow (MIL-PRF-38535 QML Class V)
Upcoming Microsemi Space Forums
Microsemi’s invitation-only, one-day Space Forums address key industry challenges and include technical presentations, new product updates, technology roadmap information and statistical reliability data. The next forum will take place Dec. 4, 2012 in Los Angeles.
