Vicor Power Modules in use by Boeing
by CM Staff
Device tested by Boeing to be immune to single-event upsets
Vicor supports Boeing’s OB3 satellite with radiation-fault-tolerant DC-DC converter power modules, housed in the new Vicor plated SM-ChiP™ package
ANDOVER — Vicor announced on Jan. 5 the launch of its radiation-fault-tolerant DC-DC converter power modules, housed in the new Vicor plated SM-ChiP™ package. Capable of powering low-voltage ASICs of up to 300 watts from a 100V nominal power source, the ChiPs were tested by Boeing to be resilient to 50krad of total ionizing dose and immune to single-event upsets. Immunity to single-event upsets is achieved using a redundant architecture, where two identical and parallel powertrains with fault-tolerant control ICs are housed in a single high-density SM-ChiP package.
Advanced communication satellites require high power density and low noise. Vicor soft-switching, high-frequency ZCS/ZVS power stages within metal-shielded ChiPs, purport to reduce the power system noise floor, enabling signal integrity and total system performance with the requisite high level of reliability.
All of the modules are available in the Vicor high-density SM-ChiP package with BGA (ball grid array) connections and optional solder mask for the top and bottom surfaces. Operating temperature for the ChiPs is –30 to 125°C.
