Extremelly High Bandwidth Rad Hard Data Acquisition System, Phase II

Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are the key components for digitizing high-speed analog data in modern data acquisition systems, which is a critical part of sensor/detector array readout electronics widely used by NASA. Unfortunately, commercially available ADCs consume high power and feature high system latency and poor linearity; especially at input bandwidths larger than 1GHz. In addition, these ADCs are not radiation tolerant due to the utilized process technologies and thus are susceptible to harmful total ionization dose and single event upset effects. Thus, they do not satisfy NASA's low-power, radiation tolerant, and high bandwidth (>20GHz) requirements. In response to the described needs, we propose to develop a monolithic high input bandwidth, radiation tolerant analog-to-digital converter (HIBRA), which will be implemented into a sealed metal-ceramic microwave package with an FPGA-friendly parallel interface and will feature an improved radiation tolerance, high sampling rate, extremely high input bandwidth, and advanced functionality. The ADC will utilize ADSANTEC's high-speed current-mode logic library of Total Ionization Dose-tolerant-by-technology and proprietary architectural cells. The fully functional ASIC will be fabricated in IBM SiGe technology at the end of Phase II.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.