Satellite Applications: Single-Chip Rad Hard 32-Channel Driver with Integrated Decoder by Intersil

Intersil Corporation, a leading provider of innovative power management and precision analog solutions, today introduced a radiation hardened 32-channel driver with integrated decoder that reduces the size, weight and power (SWaP) of satellite command and telemetry systems. The ISL72813SEH is the industry’s first high current driver to integrate the decoder, level shifter and driver array in a single monolithic IC, allowing satellite manufacturers to significantly increase system capacity and reduce solution size by up to 50%. The device offers a 4x higher density channel count compared to the nearest competitor, and the integrated level shifter eliminates several peripheral components.

The ISL72813SEH driver leverages Intersil’s proprietary silicon on insulator process, which provides single-event latch-up (SEL) robustness in heavy ion environments. The driver’s integrated decoder interfaces directly to the general purpose I/Os of FPGAs and CPUs in the satellite’s flight computer, dramatically reducing pin count compared to competitive 1-input to 1-output driver arrays. Each of the device’s 32-channels of common-emitter open-collector driver outputs can generate pulses of up to 42V and 600mA.

The ISL72813SEH addresses latching relay and solenoid commanding for most satellite control functions, including redundancy management, mechanism drive enables, propulsion component relays and enables, battery management, and payload switch control. The ISL72813SEH’s low V_CE saturation levels eliminate a major customer concern by reducing the overhead voltage required to drive the load. The driver’s power efficiency and high integration reduces the amount of circuitry required on the bus, allowing customers to add more spacecraft functionality and processing power.

“Intersil listened carefully to our technical requirements and crafted a solution that enabled us to reduce the size of a critical subsystem’s by half while also reducing mass, cost and power,” said Joanne Woestman, senior director of strategic sourcing at Orbital ATK Space Systems Group.

“The ISL72813SEH gives our space customers like Orbital ATK the integration and performance they need for cutting edge military and commercial space applications,” said Philip Chesley, senior vice president of Precision Products at Intersil. “The mass and power savings our rad hard devices deliver play a critical role in Orbital ATK’s next generation satellites.”

Key Features and Specifications of ISL72813SEH

• Acceptance tested to 50krad(Si) LDR, wafer-by-wafer
• Integrated 5-bit to 32-channel decoder and level shifting circuit
• High collector current outputs to 600mA
• Low V_CE saturation of 1.5V with I_C of 530mA
• High voltage outputs up to -40V
• V_CC supply range of 3V to 5.5V
• Extended operating temperature range of -55°C to +125°C
• HDR radiation tolerance of 100krad(Si) and LDR of 50krad(Si)
• SEB LET_TH (V_CE = 33V) immune up to 86.4MeV•cm²/mg

The ISL72813SEH can be combined with the following ICs to create a complete satellite command and telemetry signal processing solution with superior rad hard performance: ISL71841SEH 32-channel 30V multiplexer, ISL70444SEH, ISL70244SEH, ISL70419SEH and ISL70219ASEH precision op amps,ISL71090SEH and ISL71091SEH low-noise voltage references, ISL70517SEH and ISL70617SEH differential input in-amps, ISL71590SEH temperature sensor, and ISL7202xSEH CAN transceivers.

Availability

The ISL72813SEH high current driver is available now in a 44-lead ceramic lead-less chip carrier (CLCC) package. An evaluation board is available to evaluate device features and performance. SEE and total dose testing reports also are available. For more information on the ISL72813SEH, please visit:www.intersil.com/products/isl72813seh.