05-03-2021 | Microchip Technology | Semiconductors
Microchip Technology is now shipping PolarFire FPGAs qualified for both the Automotive Electronics Council Q100 (AEC-Q100) specification Grade T2 (-40C to 125C TJ) and defence temperature grade (-40C to 125C TJ).
These devices increase the company's low-power leadership as a supplier of FPGAs for diverse high-reliability markets. With their thermal and space design constraints, automotive, industrial and defence applications deployed in severe environments need solutions that give power and space efficiency and cryptographic security. These FPGAs provide on-chip security features that facilitate secure communication, an encrypted bitstream, and a cryptographically secured supply chain, assuring tamper-proof solutions for these market segments.
Unlike SRAM-based FPGAs, its devices can function without fans and, in some cases, without heatsinks, simplifying the thermal design of the system and generating new opportunities for smaller, lighter designs. This is particularly important in automotive applications such as blind-spot detection, lane change warning systems and back up cameras. Furthermore, the extended temperature range of its defence-grade devices coupled with state-of-the-art security allows developers to trust and add more compute power within a thermally-constrained environments.
“Removing heat from a system is not free,” said Bruce Weyer, vice president of Microchip’s FPGA business unit. “The less heat you move, the lower your total system costs become. In some cases, complete removal of fans from systems, which often have a low mean time between failure, is possible. Automotive and aerospace design engineers can now develop mid-range FPGA solutions with the lowest total power, highest reliability, and best-in-class security technologies, all at a lower total system cost.”
