Evaluation of European SRAM-based FPGA Using the ESA VHDL IP-Core Library (Electronic Space Project)
Microelectronics have at all times been a
complicated area in space technology, the radiation environment have
always created heavy restriction. This is still true today, but
development of new and better devices has steadily opened up this field
for new applications.
Author: HÃ¥kan Helzenius
Source: Lulea University of Technology
FPGAs have been used in space for some
time now, but that is mostly One-Time Programmable devices. Only a few
reprogrammable FPGA have flown on real space missions, but in the near
future this technology can cut down on
development time and open up for new exciting applications in space. The
Microelectronics Section in ESA has received a design kit, AT40KEL-DK,
for a reprogrammable FPGA developed in Europe by ATMEL. This FPGA is
radiation harded and is of large interest for ESA and parts of the space
industry.
This report has focused on the
overall evaluation of AT40KEL-DK and all of its content. The design kit
contains both the evaluation board and the FPGA, together with the
required software. The approach has been to use the ESA VHDL IP-core
library and try to implement one of its designs into the FPGA. The
IP-core chosen was a SpaceWire codec developed by the University of
Dundee. In addition to the test with the codec, the FPGA was also tested
with smaller designs to assess additional characteristics like clock
speed limitations.
The report will first give a brief
background of subjects touched by the project and then describe the
project itself and its objectives. It is then possible to read about the
preparations before the description of the two major tests are
presented in Ch. 6 and 7. The report is then to be completed with a
conclusion and discussion.
Abstract:
AT40KEL-DK is a design kit from ATMEL,
including the Rad Hard SRAM-based reprogrammable FPGA AT40KEL040. The
use of reprogrammable FPGAs in space is fairly limited since they are
often sensitive to radiation. Today only a few reprogrammable FPGAs have
flown on real space missions, but in the near future this technology
can cut down on development time and open up for new applications
in space. Most of the mentioned technology is at present developed in
USA with export restrictions, which makes it even more interesting with a
European product.
This Master Thesis has focused on
the overall evaluation of AT40KEL-DK and all of its content. The design
kit contains both the evaluation board and the FPGA, together with the
required software. The approach has been to use the ESA VHDL IP-core
library and try to implement one of its designs into the FPGA. The
IP-core chosen was a SpaceWire codec developed by the University of
Dundee. In addition to the test with the codec, the FPGA was also tested
with smaller designs to assess additional characteristics like clock
speed limitations.
The timeframe of the project was
rather limiting and there was only time for a few test results. Instead
the project focused on its main objective, a general assessment of
the whole design kit. The experiences of both the software and the
hardware were documented and given as feedback to ATMEL, as well as
laying the foundation for further testing by ESA.
Author: HÃ¥kan Helzenius
Source: Lulea University of Technology
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