STMicroelectronics Further Extends its Range of Rad-Hard Analog Products for Aerospace

GENEVA, Sept. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications and a world leader in ICs for the aerospace market, today announced the expansion of its European Rad-Hard aerospace portfolio with the addition of four amplifiers which have achieved official QML  V qualification. The qualification of these devices further extend the solid foundations of ST's analog radiation-hardened devices, which are tremendously robust, able to survive extreme environment conditions such as those found in space, and guarantee prolonged device endurance.

"According to the Satellite Industry Association, the global satellite industry is healthy and growing. Global revenues totaled $168.1 billion in 2010, for an 11.2 percent average annual industry growth rate over the past 5 years(1)," said Alberto De Marco, ST General Manager, High-reliability and Standard Products Division. "With many of the activities of our lives depending on satellites -- entertainment, navigation, communication -- their functioning and reliability is extremely important, making it critical for electronic components, like those we are introducing today, to withstand the high levels of radiation found in space."

ST has become a reference in the Aerospace industry by establishing its standard hardness to ionizing radiation at 300 krad (Si) (Total Ionization Dose hardness, known as TID), including low dose-rate irradiation,  allowing the company to be the first supplier to offer Radiation Hardness Assurance (RHA)-qualified products with Enhanced Low Dose Rate Sensitivity free (ELDRS-free) integrated circuits. ST is also providing the highest hardness to the damage caused by heavy ions, with Single Event Latch-up (SEL)-free and Single Event False Interrupt (SEFI)-free components. With these new products, ST continues to lead the market by also providing protection against the transient glitches caused by heavy ions, known as Single Event Transients (SETs), that are particularly challenging for analog components used in space.

The extension of the product family includes the following four devices:

• RHF484, a quad version of the RHF43B and an alternative to industry-standard products. Packaged in a Flat-14W, their QML V qualification was achieved in August 2011.
• RHF310 and RHF330, and very low power 5V op amps ideally suited to a wide range of signal-conditioning applications. The 120 MHz and 1.0GHz versions are already QML V qualified. Another device, the 550 MHz RHF350 is expected to be qualified in Q4 2011.

ST's analog space devices have been designed with special attention to Single Event Transients and are fully characterized with low amplitude, small duration glitches.

All of ST's rad-hard analog integrated circuits feature very low power consumption and are designed using BICMOS technologies.  These devices are added to the European Product Part List (EPPL) once space qualified, with the active support of the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).

Major features of ST QML V analog products

• QML  V qualification 300 krad (Si) Total Ionizing Dose (TID)
• ELDRS (Enhanced Low Dose Rate Sensitivity) free
• SEL (Single Event Latch up) immune at 110 MeV/mg/cm2 @ 125 degrees C
• Fully SET characterized
• Hermetically sealed packages
• Qualified for European export

About Semiconductors for Aerospace

A key requirement for space components is the ability to withstand the radiation present throughout space, from a wide range of sources such as the Van Allen radiation belts, solar winds and flares, and galactic cosmic rays.

Radiation hardened, or rad-hard, devices are capable of operating in this environment with nominal performance and a long lifetime, even when subjected to exposure to any kind of particles, mostly protons, electrons and heavy ions. Transient behavior of semiconductor devices, especially analog products, is critical when hit by a heavy ion.

The Total Ionization Dose test measures the hardness to ionization, mostly caused by protons and electrons of a product, in krad (Si), at a given dose rate (it can be high, low or enhanced low).

The hardness to heavy ions is measured with a test on qualified devices to verify the effect on each component with increasing energy until a failure is found. The various BICMOS analog product tests are:

• Single Event Latch Up
• Single Event Transient
• Single Event False Interrupt

The aerospace industry's demand for high reliability goes far beyond radiation requirements.  Official agencies such as the European Space Components Committee (ESCC) or Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), formerly known as Defense Supply Columbus Center (DSCC), maintain specifications describing how a vendor can be certified, and how a certified vendor can manufacture and qualify devices.

ST is an active member of these organizations (it was the first ESCC qualified company in 1977) and is basing its aerospace product offer on both of these worldwide recognized quality systems.

QML V devices are qualified and manufactured in compliance with specifications such as Military Standard MIL-STD-38535 or MIL-STD-883 issued by the DLA. QML V qualification includes a series of reliability and radiation tests, formally defined in the QML V specifications.

About STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics is a global leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications with innovative semiconductor solutions. ST aims to be the undisputed leader in multimedia convergence and power applications leveraging its vast array of technologies, design expertise and combination of intellectual property portfolio, strategic partnerships and manufacturing strength. In 2010, the Company's net revenues were $10.35 billion. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.

SOURCE STMicroelectronics