The use of FPGA devices is becoming fairly widespread in every sector. Recently some new devices were prepared, designed to guarantee better radiation protection. They are Actel's RTSX-S family characterized y a high immunity technique which will reach over 63LETth [Mev-cm2/mg] .

This new family can handle radiation and in particular "single-event upsets" (SEU) phenomena. The devices use a triple redundancy latch module technique mad ein hardware mode so as to avoid the need to build on software base. With SEU immunity higher than 63MeV-cm2/mg, the RT54SX32S device offers a  density of system equivalent 32.000 gates, abundantly surpasses the threshold of 37MeV-cm2/mg required for the LET (linear energy transfer), as physical requisite in the majority of satellite applications.

Triple redundancy modules present excellent TID (total ionizing dose) type radiation tolerance characteristics higher than 100 Krad and SEL (single-event latchup) immunity. This characteristic allows a notable survival capacity of the RTSX-S family in applications characterized by exposure to high doses of radiation, as in the case of low altitude orbiting satellites or deep space missions. Operating in extreme conditions, where malfunctioning of a device would mean the failure of a mission is a technical characteristic of remarkable quality for these devices.

Technical characteristics
In terms of density RTSX-S family devices have a capacity that varies from 32.000 to 72.000 system equivalent gates, with performance higher than 250 MHz. The family makes TMR in hardware. In traditional FPGA devices this characteristic is implemented with software artifices using, for that end, two thirds of the device's resources.

November.2001

Actel