Actel Corp. announces rad-hard moves

Leaders of Actel Corp., the field programmable gate array (FPGA) manufacturer in Sunnyvale, Calif., are making three moves to bolster their presence in the market for radiation-hardened integrated circuits - particularly for commercial satellites. First, Actel officials are making their existing line of rad-hard FPGAs available through the company`s North American distribution network - namely, through Arrow/Zeus, Pioneer Electronics, and Wyle Electronics. Second, Actel officials are expanding their line of rad-hard products to include a 2,000-gate non-volatile FPGA called the RH1020. Based on Actel`s antifuse architecture, these devices can withstand 300 kilorads of total-dose radiation with guaranteed latchup immunity and low single-event upset susceptibility. Actel rad-hard FPGAs are manufactured at the Lockheed Martin Federal Systems division in Manassas, Va. Third, Actel designers are joining hands with those at Space Electronics Inc. of San Diego to develop and sell high-reliability radiation-tolerant FPGAs by linking Actel`s devices with the Space Electronics Rad-Pak package shielding technology. These rad-tolerant FPGAs, which will withstand 10 to 100 kilorads total-dose radiation, will include the 8,000-gate RP1280A in a 172-pin ceramic quad flatpack, and the 10,000-gate RP14100A in a similar 256-pin package. For more information, contact Actel`s Mike Sarpa by phone at 408-522-4598, or on the World Wide Web at http://www. actel.com/. - J.K.