Aerospace grade chips are defined as electronic products designed specifically for space applications due to their high requirements and technical characteristics in extreme space environments. For example, they must be able to withstand the radiation effects of high-energy particles and cosmic rays in space, while also dealing with the challenges of extreme temperature changes and lack of effective heat dissipation. These factors have led to the technical standards of aerospace grade chips far exceeding those of ordinary electronic products. For example, Xilinx's XQR5VFX130-1CF1752V and other models of chips have high prices, with each chip selling for over 1.2 million RMB.
However, 40 of the 49 Starlink satellites launched by SpaceX experienced geomagnetic storm crashes not due to chip issues, but rather due to the deployment strategy of the satellites and the atmospheric environment in low orbit. These satellites are first launched into low orbit and then self orbit, which increases the probability of encountering geomagnetic storms. Nevertheless, this once again emphasizes the crucial role of aerospace grade chips in space missions, as well as their technological complexity and the need for high reliability.
The biggest difference between aerospace grade chips and ordinary chips is the difference in reliability indicators.
Aerospace grade chips will face a very complex space environment, which is mainly a strong radiation space environment. The radiation sources mainly come from cosmic rays, solar flare radiation, the inner and outer Van Allen radiation belts surrounding the Earth, as well as solar wind, auroras, solar X-rays, and electromagnetic radiation with a wide spectral range, mainly composed of high-energy protons, high-energy electrons, X-rays, etc. Semiconductor devices (chips) are highly sensitive to these radiations, ranging from minor errors in flipping to severe damage and failure.
In order to minimize the interference and damage caused by space radiation environment to chips, it is necessary to carry out reinforcement designs such as anti radiation reinforcement and anti single sheet reinforcement (at the process and design levels). To verify the above reinforcement performance, it is necessary to simulate the space radiation environment in the Earth environment for testing and validation, such as anti total dose test, anti single particle flipping test, anti single particle locking test, etc.
In addition to the interference of space radiation environment described above, it is also necessary to resist the effects of extreme acceleration, extreme impact, extreme tension, extreme temperature, extreme corrosion environment, etc. In order to resist the impact of these special extreme environments, aerospace grade chips need to undergo special packaging processes for reinforcement and experimental verification, such as centrifugal testing, impact testing, temperature cycling testing, salt spray testing, water vapor testing, tensile testing, and so on.
All of the above experiments require investment and construction in key equipment and laboratories. For example, to complete single particle experiments, the construction and support of particle accelerators are needed, and research investment is enormous.