A rad-hard multichannel front-end readout ASIC for space applications

This paper presents a rad-hard ASIC that implements a set of instrumentation channels that are highly configurable in terms of resolution, conversion rate, and input voltage range, providing a flexible solution for space applications requiring the digital acquisition of slow input signals with medium-to-high resolutions up to 16 bits. The differential input voltage range can be extended up to 4 V_pp. The instrumentation channels combine a programmable-gain, high input impedance instrumentation amplifier and dual-slope analog-to-digital converters with radiation hardening by design (RHBD) techniques in a standard 0.35 μm CMOS technology. Experimental results demonstrate the performance of the ASIC against radiation effects up to 318 krad of TID, absence of latch-up up to at least 81.8 MeV·cm²/mg, SEUs LET_th of 22.5 MeV·cm²/mg and proper operation over an extended operating temperature range.