NIRCA ASIC Design Iteration

The aim is to manufacture and characterize the Near-Infrared Readout Controller ASIC (NIRCA) infrared detector control ASIC to resolve performance issues identified during test and characterization.    

The aim of NIRCA is to develop a control ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) for infrared detector arrays. Key applications include future Science and Earth Observation missions.   It forms part of a comprehensive technology development plan that aims to make available high-performance infrared detection chains for both space and ground-based applications within Europe. The NIRCA ASIC provides clocks and biases for detector operation and four video channels for data acquisition. While fully operational, a number of design issues that affect the performance of the NIRCA were identified during the original test and characterization. Correction of these design issues would result in the availability of single-chip image sensor driver and a key element of the previously mentioned technology development plan.   The main points to be addressed are: Bias voltage adjustment resolution. Accuracy of pre-amplifier gains. Parasitic capacitance affecting ADC resolution. RAM readout bit errors.   This activity aims to resolve these issues through a re-design of the affected areas and the manufacture of a new iteration of the ASIC, followed by full device test and characterization.