Mercury Systems Corporation Develops New 3-D Micro Digital RF Memory

The emergence of precision-guided weapons has greatly reduced the 'killing costs' of the military and the logistics required to maintain large quantities of conventional ammunition in stockpiles. Renewal costs. The key to this progress is the advanced guidance integrated in weapons. Navigation and control (GNC) systems are available. The use of laser, optoelectronic, infrared, radar and/or GPS navigation signals directs the weapon to a designated target. In response to this threat, the enemy is increasingly turning to electronic attacks to disrupt the operation of precision-guided weapon GNC systems.

Although the integration of self-protection capabilities into precision-guided weapons through digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) microelectronics technology can mitigate interference from hostile electronic attacks, conventional DRFM microelectronic devices are too large to be used in modern smart weaponry. Microelectronic devices optimized for size, weight, and power (SWaP) design for typical on-board electronics are difficult to integrate into weapons.

In order to create a new DRFM microelectronic device that meets the requirements for weapon integration, a new and modular solution that integrates three-dimensional stacking technology, advanced miniaturization technology, and device reinforcement technology is required. Modularity is essential, and there are many reasons:

• Modular architecture helps increase the future functionality of the device and/or achieve higher device performance by adding new boards in the vertical stack structure of the printed circuit board (PCB). With new improvements in RF performance and signal processing Advances in the field of technology are constantly being commercialized, and the flexible device upgrade and expansion capabilities brought about by the modular architecture also help to quickly relieve emerging technological threats.

• Separating the noise-sensitive RF components from the digital components located elsewhere in the module allows the entire sensor chain to achieve a higher level of performance.

• Modularization helps identify and resolve potential anomalies in the manufacturing process early to prevent these anomalies from causing irreversible consequences after the DRFM module is fully assembled. This shortens the manufacturing cycle, increases production efficiency, and saves manufacturing costs. Has important significance.

Optimization of analog circuits

In a typical DRFM device, most of the assignable design space is occupied by analog components and corresponding circuits. The easiest way to miniaturize a device is to reduce the number of components included in the bill of materials. Although this method is simple It is easy, but after all, there is limited space to reduce the number of devices, and the reduction in the number of devices will inevitably adversely affect the overall performance of the device. Therefore, there is a need to explore other ways to realize the miniaturization of analog circuits for DRFM devices.

However, merely reducing the size of analog circuits is not sufficient for DRFM device optimization. The typical application environment for smart weapons requires that all components in the DRFM device be hardened to withstand the most demanding mission execution environment. The DRFM module must be able to withstand high-frequency mechanical vibration, high acceleration during launch, extreme thermal shock, moisture, seawater or other corrosive environments and other extreme environmental conditions. To meet both miniaturization and effective reinforcement requirements, DRFM device architects Need to re-evaluate the design of the analog circuit completely.

To this end, Mercury Systems of America has developed a miniature radio frequency multi-chip module (MCM). The module's package size has been reduced by three times the size of the analog circuit in a typical DRFM device and has now been commercialized. The bottom of the module is a ball grid array ( BGA), where the solder ball can obtain power and required signals through the circuit board. Taking into account the strict space constraints of the device, Mercury Systems chose and used special circuit board materials to balance the mechanical integrity and thermal design of the device.

Although conditions allow, the use of bare chip components can successfully achieve miniaturization of RF multi-chip modules. However, not all components can be integrated in the form of a die. Therefore, the chip wire structure and surface mounting technology are also Must be integrated into the design of the module. On the premise of ensuring no reliability risk, special attention must be paid to minimizing the space occupied by non-die components and other structures. At present, few manufacturers can be in a single production workshop. The establishment of this kind of mixed manufacturing capacity; The enterprises that can expand the production scale and realize mass production are even more rare.

In the process of miniaturization, the packing density of components within a multi-chip module must match the mechanical integrity requirements of the device. To this end, Mercury Systems is meeting the requirements for device mechanical integrity and device dimensions, weight, and power consumption. Under circumstances, the packaging density of multi-chip modules has been successfully maximized by optimizing the height of the circuit board and reducing the thickness of the partition wall of the module circuit board.

Digital circuit optimization

Typical digital circuit components for the DRFM module are non-volatile memory and a processor or field-programmable gate array (FPGA). To handle the intensive processing requirements of DRFM applications, devices are typically required to have several gigabytes of storage. With the limitations of the space and ruggedness conditions to be fulfilled by the above micro DRFM devices, it is impossible to achieve such a large storage capacity by continuing to use the traditional dual inline memory modules (DIMMs).

Memory devices with ball grid array mechanical and electrical interfaces are available from commercial memory manufacturers. Reliability of leaded solder ball grid array devices in military applications has been demonstrated. However, the DRFM application needs The memory capacity may exceed the memory capacity of a single BGA memory device provided by the memory manufacturer. This means that precious space in the digital module of the micro DRFM device will be quickly consumed by multiple memory devices. A potential approach is in 3D An additional memory dedicated circuit board is added to the DRFM stack. However, this method sacrifices the already scarce three-dimensional space, and it also greatly increases the overall design complexity of the device.

In recent years, three-dimensional packaging technology has made great progress. In a single package process, using multiple memory devices with error correction control functions, vertical stacking and interconnection technology can save up to 85% of the two-dimensional compared to the discrete device planar array Circuit board space. Moreover, this space saving is achieved without sacrificing device specifications. With this 3D packaging scheme, up to 18 memory cell devices can be integrated in a single high-reliability module. The need for most processing-intensive applications.

The use of memory vertical stacking technology does not require sacrificing the three-dimensional space of the device. Using modern chip thinning processes can produce integrated memory modules less than 2.5 mm in height. Depending on the size of available space, placing the low-side memory device on the back of the board may be Beneficially, this frees up some space for integrating other components on the front side of the board.

About Next Generation Smart Weapons - Significance and Suggestions

At present, the development of security threats is faster than ever before. As a result, the RF performance and complexity of integrated microelectronic devices in weapon systems need to continue to be improved. Only the miniaturization and reinforcement of microelectronic devices are needed to develop the next generation. For smart weapons, it is still far from enough. From the perspective of modularization and overall system optimization, the device must be designed in combination with actual military application scenarios.

The application of precision guidance technology is an important milestone for the defense industry in the 20th century. In the 21st century, the introduction of DRFM microelectronics technology is expected to make precision guided weapons capable of self-protection against hostile electronic warfare attacks, and will surely become the history of the development of smart weapons. An important progress node. The defense industry should use this advancement in commercial technology to innovate deployment and upgrade of microelectronic device platforms for smart weaponry.

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