LOW POWER A/D CONVERTER FOR SPACE SYSTEMS APPLICATION

AFSTC SEEKS ANALOG TO DIGITAL (A/D) CONVERTERS WHICH CAN OPERATE IN CLOSE VICINITY TO COOLED FOCAL PLANE IMAGERS AT SPEED COMPARABLE TO THEIR NORMAL READOUT SPEED FOR FUTURE SPACE SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS. Q-DOT, INC., PROPOSES A NOVEL 12-BIT, 1 MICROSECOND, 10 MW A/D CONVERTER CHIP WHICH CAN OPERATE AT CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES (10 DEG K - 40 DEG K) AND IS SMALL ENOUGH (25 X 25 SQ MIL) TO BE LOCATED AT THE FOCAL PLANE ARRAY. THE CHIP IS BASED ON GEOMETRICAL RATIOS OF SURFACE-CHANNEL CHARGE COUPLED DEVICE (SCCD) STRUCTURES AND IS CONSEQUENTLY STABLE AND LINEAR.