IDE8410 NIRCA Prototype

NIRCA on PCB

The IDE8410 is a prototype control and acquisition integrated circuit (IC) for for large area hybrid imaging focal plane arrays (FPA). It is designed for use in extremely wide temperature ranges, spanning from room temperature to cryogenic conditions (77K), making it particularly suitable for MCT or InSb based FPAs. It integrates the functionality that is usually found in discrete proximity electronics into one radiation tolerant SoC.

IDE8410 has 5 parallel video channels with programmable gain amplifier and 12-bit, 2 Msps ADC in every channel.
The ASIC contains a programmable sequencer for generation of clock patterns and to control ASIC functions. The sequencer can control 4o parallel 3.3 V digital outputs for generation of custom clock patterns, to read out any 3.3 V compatible ROIC. The clock patterns and sequencer instructions are stored in integrated RAM memories with bit error detection and correction. In addition the IDE8410 has 8 parallel digital inputs that are accessible and can be evaluated using the sequencer.

The IDE8410 contains integrated 3.3 V and 1.8 V LDOs for regulation of ROIC power and 16 integrated low noise DACs for bias and reference voltage generation. Internal IC settings are controlled via registers that are accessible by serial peripheral interface (SPI). The SPI interface is used to program the RAM memories with clock patterns and instructions. In addition slow ADC acquistion can be performed directly via SPI. Digitized image data is serialised and encoded on a 300 Mbps 8b/10b output data interface.

The IC is radiation hardened by design as it is implemented in IDEAS custom radiation hard library.
In sample quantities, the IDE8410 is delivered mounted chip on board to a carrier PCB to simplify customer system breadboarding.
The delivered ICs are functionally tested prior to shipping and includes a python compiler to generate the configuration files for the sequencer.

The IDE8410 is a prototype IC that has been fully validated to a technology readiness level (TRL) 4 and has been extensively tested at cryogenic (77K) conditions.

Keywords: ADC, Focal Plane Electronics, Cryogenic application, controller, IR

Product Description

 

Publications

  • D. Meier, et al., 2014, “Development of an ASIC for the readout and control of near-infrared large array detectors”, Proc. SPIE 9154, High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy VI, 915421 (July 23, 2014); doi:10.1117/12.2055839
  • P. Påhlsson, et al., 2015 “Preliminary validation results of an ASIC for the readout and control of near-infrared large array detectors”, Proc. SPIE 9451, Infrared Technology and Applications XLI, 94512J (June 4, 2015); doi:10.1117/12.2180439
  • P. Påhlsson, et al., 2016, “NIRCA ASIC for the readout of focal plane arrays”, Proc. SPIE 9819, Infrared Technology and Applications XLII, 98192C (May 20, 2016); doi:10.1117/12.2223619

Product Features

Detectors MCT, InGaAs, PbS, micro-bolometer, Si, CCD
Analogue inputs 7 (+additional monitoring inputs)
Number of ADCs 5
ADC Resolution 12-bit
ADC Sampling Rate 2 Msps
Number of DACs 16
Programming interface SPI
Embedded microcontroller Custom sequencer with reduced instruction-set
Data interface 2 high-speed 8b/10b serial interfaces
Control outputs 32 synchronized arbitrary waveform outputs + 8 control outputs
Control inputs 8 digital inputs
Additional signalling Discrete interrupt signal (IRQ)
ADC resolution 12-bit
Data interface 2 high-speed 8b/10b serial interfaces