Radiation Hardening Designs and Techniques for Missile Defense

Together with its supporting partner, Raytheon Missile Systems, the objective of this SBIR proposal is to design a high resolution, high speed 100 MSPS, 14 bit, radiation-hardened Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) for critical KEI and Missile applications. This is considered an aggressive goal, since the commercial state-of-the-art ADC is a 12-bit (resolution) 80 MSPS (speed) ADC. However, Ridgetop has developed a unique approach that will meet that goal combining circuit design innovation, with an innovative silicon process. Commercial high performance ADCs are not radiation hardened and may be incapable of reliably operating in the strategic radiation environment for the projected design-life of deployed system. Another benefit, owing to the structure of the Flexfet™ is radiation tolerance. Ridgetop will design a 100 mega sample per second (MSPS), 14-bit ADC, to be manufactured in the American Semiconductor Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) FlexfetTM process. This ADC will function to specification and endure in a weapons-level environment. The combination of reliability, high resolution, and high speed suggests a variety of practical applications, including image processing, radar, and communications systems. This work will be done in collaboration with assistance and consultation by American Semiconductor and Arizona State University.