Functional tests of field programmable analog arrays under the influence of electromagnetic radiation

Functional tests of field programmable analog arrays (FPAA) are required to assess tolerance to uncontrolled and unintentional variations in the components characteristic parameters, like for example a change in the values of capacitances and gains of the differential amplifiers which may be due to aging, uncertainty (i.e., a difference between the actual and nominal values), or to an outer disturbance like radiated electromagnetic energy. The paper focuses on the latter as a cause for a possible faulty behavior: experimental results have shown that the expected performances are distorted by the presence of noise added to the useful signals due to the coupling of the external electromagnetic field with the circuitry. The results indicate that the susceptibility features depend only marginally on the specific configuration given to the FPAA, leading to the conclusion that the topology and electromagnetic characteristics of the board on which the device is mounted must be carefully designed.