High Speed Spin Valve Magnetoresistive Isolated Signal Transceiver

The challenge of reliable, high speed data transfer between subsystems on spacecraft can be more easily met when subsystems are elctrically isolated. This program will show the feasibility of a high speed, low power isolated digital transceiver device based on spin valve magnetoresistive isolation technology. Commercially available isolated transceiver modules require upwards of sixty discrete components. The spin valve isolator technology will enable a device with equivalent functionality but with an order of magnitude lower parts count and a significantly higher switching speed capability. During this program, existing spin valve isolators will be integrated with bi-directional data transmission at speeds greater than fourty megabits per second. Additional integration including a monolithic dc-dc converter will be investigated in a Phase II effort to yield an ultra-low power isolated transceiver multi-chip module capable of digital data transmission rates greater than one hundred megabits per second. This device will provide high speed operation while offering size and power advantages relative to existing technologies to free-up valuable board space, weight and power for other systems. Also, silicon on insulator technology will be used for improved radiation hardness.