Reconfigurable Course-Grain Analog Arrays

We will develop a rad-hard Application-Specific, Coarse-Grain Field Programmable Analog Array (ASCG-FPAA) by combining high performance analog functions with switches. The analog functions will be ADCs, DACs, analog mux/demux units, instrumentation amplifiers, track and hold circuits, etc. The switches can select or bypass entire analog functions or adjust parameters within the analog functions. As a demonstration, we will develop an ASCG-FPAA Read Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC) for focal plane arrays (FPAs). The ROIC analog functions will be “broken up” into reconfigurable blocks, from which ROICS that meet a broad range of requirements can be formed. Our team consists of Nu-Trek, Arizona State University, and Ball Aerospace. Analog functions are based on Nu-Trek’s ultra-low power Correlated Level Shifting (CLS) technology and on ASU’s ROICs and power-scalable pipeline A/Ds. Ball Aerospace is a leading supplier of imagers for defense and commercial applications and will provide requirements and guidance. ASCG-FPAAs would drastically reduce the cost and lead-time required to develop new systems. The ASCG-FPAA FPA ROIC would be applicable to a broad range of imager applications, such as the STSS.