Rad-Hard Point-of-Load DC-DC Buck Regulators
Peregrine’s PE9915x devices are radiation-hardened point-of-load (POL) buck regulators with integrated switches. These devices offer radiation hardness up to 100 Krad(Si) TID and Single Event Effects (SEE) immunity to a Linear Energy Transfer (LET) greater than 90 MeV•cm2/mg. This monolithic technology replaces multi-chip modules by offering superior performance, smaller size and reduced weight in sensitive space applications.
These integrated buck regulators contain two synchronous power switches capable of delivering up to 2A, 6A or 10A of continuous current. The PE9915x are designed to operate from a wide 5V bus and provide 1.0V to 3.6V supply rails for analog, digital and RF payloads.
Key performance factors including frequency synchronization, power sequencing, current sharing capability and excellent radiation tolerance allow the PE9915x devices to address the needs of space-grade FPGA and ASIC power management.
Peregrine’s POL buck regulators were tested for single event effects at the Texas A&M University Cyclotron facility. Samples of PE99151 (2A), PE99153 (6A) and PE99155 (10A) devices were tested at load currents from 0 (no-load) to rated max as well as intermediate points. Au ion, LET greater than 90 MeV•cm2/mg @ silicon surface, normal and 60° angle of incidence was used. The criterion for upset (including transients) was +/-5% deflection from nominal output voltage set point, which is the power supply expectation for "quality of regulation."
| Single Event Effects Performance | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| SEE | Ion/Incidence | Ion LET (MeV•cm²/mg) | Results |
| SEL | Au/60º | >90 | None observed |
| SEB | Au/60º | >90 | None observed |
| SET | Au/60º | >90 | No events exceeding 30 mV transient observed |
| SEFI | Au/60º | >90 | None observed |
| SEGR | Au/60º | >90 | None observed |
- No Single Event Transients exceeded the +/-5% upset criterion on any device
- No single event upsets were observed on any device
- No SEFI was observed
- No SEL, SEB, SEGR were observed
- The PE9915x devices are fully single-event-immune (Au, LET=90, 60° incidence)
