Date: 22/07/2009

Atmel's new version of radiation-hardened SPARC V8 processor for aerospace

Atmel has announced the availability of new-version radiation-hardened SPARC(R) processor AT697F for aerospace applications, the AT697F processor offer a processing performance of 90 MIPs at 100 MHz over full range of operating temperature and operating voltage range at power consumption of 0.7W.

Atmel is serving aerospace processor market with its various previous versions of processors. Atmel says, It has supplied 1600 flight models of its previous aerospace domain specific processor TSC695E.
The AT697F withstands radiation better than its previous version AT697E. AT697F is specified to withstand a radiation up to 100 Krad.

Other specifications include: SEU and SET induced error rate better than 10(-5) errors/device/day in worst case conditions. No single event latch up below a LET threshold of 95 MeV.cm(2)/mg @ 125 degrees C

The design is based on the European Space Agency (ESA) LEON2-FT (Fault Tolerant) processor model and includes the latest techniques of radiation hardening by design including Full Triple Modular Redundancy, EDAC and parity bit protections. The European Space Agency has supported the design of this product.

AT697F has rated with 90 MIPs (Dhrystone 2.1) and 23 MFlops (Whetstone) processing performance with advantage of more MIPs at fewer watts. The AT697F is software compatible with the other Atmel space SPARC processors with improved SDRAM interface efficiency, running at up to 90 MHz.

The AT697F processor tested flight models are expected in December 2009.

With more planetary exploration projects taken by both developed and emerging economies, the semiconductor and component market for space exploration machines will get boosted in next five years.

Package: MCGA349 and MQFPF256 (pin out compatible with AT697E)

For details visit www.atmel.com