Asic Design
(ground/space)

Since 2009, Saphyrion has accumulated an extensive experience in the design of custom IC for space and terrestrial applications. In the aerospace domain, the company is one of the world leader in the development of RF/mixed signal ICs. This kind of design task is particularly difficult because CAD techniques seldom could offer an automatized support in the definition of the IC layout. Therefore, most of the final device’s performance relies on the skill and ingenuity of the designer, who relies on several years of continuing activity to ensure e.g. the routing of microwave frequency signal paths in the complex fabric of the semiconductor chip.

Although widely recognised for its GNSS ASIC chips, Saphyrion can produce any kind of RF/mixed signal ASIC in various technologies (CMOS, BiCMOS, SiGe, SOI, GaAs, GaN) and up to 30GHz operational frequency. The company is increasingly addressing the domain of ASICs for phased antenna arrays and space telecommunications.

Saphyrion has a large record of developments carried out on mandate of external partners in the field of ASICs for space-borne applications, and addresses the design of specialized terrestrial chips characterized by high complexity and destined to uncommon applications in cellular telephony, biomedical instruments and wireline telecommunication networks. In the following, some examples of bespoke designs are presented:

Layout of a typical customized ASIC
(bespoke design)

Power management section
for various GNSS receiver ASICs

click to enlarge

Features

  • 5 power islands.
  • For a single-chip GPS/Galileo receiver.
  • 40mA voltage regulator for LVDD (digital core).
  • Low turn-on overshoot.
  • No power up/down sequence needed.
  • On-chip management of back-up power.
  • On-chip VDD monitor/reset counter (no ext. RC).
  • Temperature sensor and 8-bit AD-converter.
  • Single pin RTC XTAL oscillator, on-chip load C's.
  • Low capacitance 2kV HBM pads for RF, XTAL.
  • TSMC 65nm CMOS (low power) process.

L-band space radiometer front-end

click to enlarge

Features

  • LNA (2 gain settings):
    G = 18.0dB and NF = 1.7dB, or
    G = 6.5dB and NF = 2.3dB
  • Mixer: voltage gain = 14.5dB and NF = 12dB.
  • IF chain overall gain:
    5dB to  71dB   nominally