Teledyne e2v Semiconductors, the partner of choice for high performance semiconductor components and sub-systems

Written by Teledyne e2v

GRENOBLE, FRANCE - Media OutReach ^[1] - 25 November 2019 - Located in Grenoble, in the heart of the French Silicon Valley, Teledyne e2v is a semiconductor manufacturer since 1955. Teledyne has acquired e2v in March 2017 and counts now more than 11 000 employees across Europe, America and Asia. Thanks to its invaluable experience, Teledyne e2v provides its customers with the most advanced Signal Processing Solutions and Microprocessor offer. The firm has the flexibility to address various markets with the most demanding requirements, such as Aerospace & Defense, Avionics, Space and Industrial and Instrumentation. Working to make customers' systems safer, secure and more differentiated by delivering tailored high performance semiconductor sub-systems and signal & data processing solutions, is what they do best!

Teledyne e2v's "Data and Signal Processing Solutions" Business Unit has made innovation its key priority by developing components which accelerate the digitization of microwave signal systems, striving toward completely software defined antennas that utilize world-leading data conversion technologies directly in the antenna. This makes Teledyne e2v lead the world in Analogue to Digital converters (ADC) and Digital to Analogue Converters (DAC) with the potential to enable new advanced solutions in Space microwave frequency communication systems. As a result, Teledyne e2v's team bring a world-class renowned design expertise in Broadband Data Converters, which, for instance, led to put on the market the EV12DS480 DAC and EV12AQ600 ADC. These two products are both widely used in Space applications and are part of the extended Teledyne e2v semiconductors offer in data converters. Other state of the art data converters are the Quad Family used in high-end Test & Measurement applications and the EV12AD550 Dual channel ADC for Space applications.

The Business Unit has also supplied for over 30 years' High Reliability commercial processors based on commercial architectures that have been characterized, qualified, and repackaged to satisfy the most severe environmental conditions, including Space. Teledyne e2v's microprocessor offer addresses critical functions and is qualified to high temperature ranges (-55°C to +125°C) with leaded or RoHS finished package options. The QorIQ^® Power Architecture^® and ARM^® processor portfolio offers the highest performance for small form factor/power-efficient applications.

In order to remain a leader in its domain, Teledyne e2v has been surrounded by the most prestigious industrial and institutional partners to develop innovative projects alongside them.For several years now, the company has created a long lasting collaboration with CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, the French Space Agency) to achieve the challenging objectives set for expanding the next generation of high-speed A-to-D and D-to-A.

In addition, the INTERSTELLAR project (http://h2020-interstellar.eu/) is currently co-funded by the European Commission to develop critical ADCs and DACs for European non-dependence and competitiveness, under the Horizon 2020 Framework Program (Grant No 730165), the biggest EU research and innovation program ever. The INTERSTELLAR consortium includes Thalès Alenia Space France, Airbus Italia S.p.A and the Fraunhofer Institute IIS and gives companies the ability to develop and qualify highly innovative products for space applications. As part of the INTERSTELLAR advisory board, CNES ensures that «the new generation of data converters are consistent with the users' needs and that their quality level will fit with Space stringent requirements. Teledyne e2v has a unique and excellent expertise in wideband data converters design, assembly and test. CNES is confident that those new ADC and DAC will be key technologies for high performance satellites.» says Florence Malou, Components Expert at CNES.

In this context, Teledyne e2v addresses the development of high-speed ADCs and DACs by being in charge of design, manufacturing and test activities. Using European semiconductor technology, the new converters target performances beyond today's state-of-the-art in order to reach higher integration with more channels on a board, lower power consumption, larger bandwidth and increased dynamic performance. Within the INTERSTELLAR project, two new data converters are developed and matured to qualified stage (Technology Readiness Level TRL6).

A four-channel ADC, the EV12AQ600 sampling at up to 6.4 GSps offers ultra-wide input bandwidth, flexibility and high-speed serial outputs. A multi-channel DAC the EV12DD700, reconstructing beyond 6.4 GHz offers multi-Nyquist output bandwidth, programmable output modes, high-speed serial inputs and innovative digital features. Such devices facilitate innovative Rx and Tx signal chain solutions for satellite telecommunications, earth observation, navigation and scientific missions. Demonstrations and samples will be already available early 2020.

Another very promising partnership with CNES, aims to deliver a powerful ARM^® based Common Computer Platform module for Space applications. Part of Teledyne e2v's Qormino family, this product is the new QLS1046-4GB-Space, a Quad ARM Cortex^® A72 based microprocessor platform running up to 1.6GHz (based on NXP LS1046) which includes 4GB DDR4 Memory (72 bits Memory bus (64 bits Data / 8 bits ECC)). Qormino QLS1046-4GB-Space (size 44 x 26 mm) has a Space Reliability grade and its temperature range goes from -55°C to +125°C. This Space version of Qormino naturally brings additional computing capabilities to the Space platforms and payloads, size weight and power optimizations (SWaP), and reduction of development cycle times.

Several tests are being performed now to demonstrate and evaluate Qormino module's behavior when soldered to a PCB, taking into accounts space environment constraints such as vibrations and thermal cycles. Moreover, radiation tests have been performed last September showing that the module should be capable to sustain a space environment. Another radiation test campaign is programmed for the end of the year 2019 with final reports available at the beginning of the coming year and Flight Models in 2021. CNES has supported this project by providing funding and allows Teledyne e2v to invest and be part of a fast growing space market. «The Qormino module will complement the existing Rad-Tolerant processor offering, while facilitating the transition to the ARM architecture for our highperformance applications,» says David Dangla, VLSI Components Specialist at CNES.

For more information visit: https://www.teledyne-e2v.com/products/semiconductors/^[2]