Microchip introduces the low-power, radiation-resistant PolarFire FPGA to enable low-cost, high-bandwidth space systems

     Spacecraft electronics developers typically use radiation-resistant (RT) field-programmable gate arrays (FPgas) to develop onboard systems to meet the demanding performance requirements of future space missions, withstand violent launch processes, and operate continuously and reliably in the harsh space environment. Microchip Technology introduces the optimized radiation-resistant RT PolarFire FPGA to bring these capabilities to the emerging market for high-performance space applications. The new RT PolarFire FPGA meets the most demanding requirements of spacecraft payload systems for high-speed data paths with as little power and heat as possible.

     Bruce Weyer, vice president of Microchip's FPGA business group, said: "We are supporting a growing array of in-orbit space applications that require high operational performance and density, low power and heat generation, while reducing system-level costs. Our RT PolarFire FPGA products achieve a significant leap in computational throughput and meet the needs of these applications while being Qualified Manufacturer certified (QML). Application scenarios include process-intensive neural networks for target detection and recognition, high-resolution passive and active imaging, and high-precision remote scientific measurement tools."

     More and more space applications now require higher computing performance in order to transmit processed information rather than raw data, taking full advantage of limited downstream bandwidth. RT PolarFire FPGas achieve this at a lower cost and with a shorter design cycle than application-specific integrated circuits (ASics). Compared with FPgas based on static random access memory (SRAM), the new product not only greatly reduces power consumption, but also eliminates the disadvantage of configuration anomalies due to radiation. The first commercial release of RT PolarFire FPGas provides customers with full support for new designs, including the necessary radiation data, specifications, package details and tools.

     The RT PolarFire FPGA builds on Microchip's previous successful RTG4 FPGA. RTG4 FPgas are widely used in space applications that enhance radiation protection with the anti-single event interference (SEU) design and inherent protection against single event lock-in (SEL) and configuration interference provided by RTG4. For space applications that require up to five times the compute throughput, the RT PolarFire FPGA can achieve more than a 50% performance increase while tripling the number of logic elements and the serials-deserializer (SERDES) bandwidth. It also offers six times the amount of embedded SRAM, allowing more complex systems to be built and able to withstand exposures exceeding 100 thousand rads (kRad) of total ionization dose (TID), a typical scenario for most Earth-orbiting satellites and many deep-space exploration missions.

     RT PolarFire FPGas can reduce power consumption to about half that of SRAM-based FPgas while maintaining the same density and performance. SONOS Non-volatile (NV) technology enables a more energy efficient configuration switch system that reduces development and material costs through a simplified, lower cost and lighter power system design while minimizing heat dissipation to alleviate thermal management issues. Because the RT PolarFire FPGA eliminates the cost, complexity, and downtime to recover from single-event interference, its design is also simplified compared to SRAM-based FPgas.

     The RT PolarFire FPGA requires a standard process for QML certification, including a Level V qualification for highly critical applications. Microchip has extensive experience in QML certification of RTG4 FPgas and other products, and certification requires the completion of extensive continuity testing, including screening each wafer and package group.