Modular SiGe 130 nm Cell Library for Extreme Environments

NASA space missions utilizing application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) under extreme conditions have a critical need for high performance analog cell libraries to support the mission requirements. With the introduction of silicon germanium (SiGe) processes, there is an opportunity to provide resilient analog circuit designs that handle both temperature and radiation hardening requirements. Our experience has indicated that meeting extreme temperature requirements is as challenging as meeting the radiation-hardening requirements and innovation in this area is warranted. Maintaining key operating specifications such as linearity and dynamic range while under both extreme temperature and radiation exposure conditions is a difficult problem requiring an innovative solution. Ridgetop Group will build a cell library of key "building block" analog cells needed for pipeline, flash and successive approximation register (SAR) ADCs; and capacitor array DACs. We will develop transistor-level designs and simulate these blocks to prove feasibility and demonstrate the effectiveness of the minimal temperature response (MTR) design techniques. After achieving desired MTR, rad-hard by design (RHBD) methods will be employed to meet the radiation specs. In Phase 2 of this SBIR program Ridgetop will fabricate and test a 12-bit ADC based on this library to validate its efficacy.

Radiation-hardened circuits and techniques are increasingly important in NASA space technology programs. Their adaptation for commercial and space systems presents the following opportunities for the Ridgetop radiation cell library: Space-based radar systems; satellite communication systems; planetary mission applications.

Medical imaging market; satellite telecommunications market; nuclear energy applications; military applications; high-energy physics instrumentation; industrial radiation-tolerant instrumentation. This SBIR program will prove it is feasible to build a library of reusable analog integrated circuit (IC) blocks to design and develop both ADCs and DACs that are tolerant to extreme radiation levels.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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