RTAX4000SL-CQ352V - 4M-Gate Rad-Tolerant FPGA | Microchip
MPN: RTAX4000SL-CQ352V ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3500 | $3,500.00 |
| 10 | $3325 | $33,250.00 |
| 100 | $3150 | $315,000.00 |
| 500 | $2975 | $1,487,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $2800 | $2,800,000.00 |
RTAX4000SL-CQ352V Overview
A radiation-tolerant FPGA is a programmable logic device engineered to survive the high-radiation environment of orbital and deep-space missions, where standard commercial FPGAs would suffer single-event effects (SEE) and total ionizing dose (TID) degradation. Within the power-management-free logic hierarchy, the FPGA sits between microprocessors and ASICs: it provides ASIC-like gate density with field reprogrammability. The RTAX-S/SL family is based on the commercial Microsemi Axcelerator architecture, adapted with radiation-hardened-by-design circuitry.
Key features of the RTAX4000SL-CQ352V include 40,320 configurable logic blocks (CLBs) organized as 60,480 logic cells, embedded SRAM blocks with built-in FIFO control logic, segmentable clock resources, chip-wide highway routing, and dedicated carry logic for arithmetic functions. The SL variant adds enhanced low-power characteristics relative to the standard S grade. Live-at-power-up (LAPU) operation via antifuse-like flash-based configuration means no external configuration PROM is required, achieving a true single-chip form factor - a decisive advantage for minimizing board area, mass, and failure points in satellites.
Architecturally, the device inherits the Axcelerator fabric with itsVersaTile structure, combining sequential and combinational logic efficiently, and supports system-level features such as embedded FIFOs and clock segmentation that simplify high-speed data-path design in payloads, telemetry subsystems, and on-board data handling units.
Typical applications include satellite payload processing, spacecraft avionics and command/data handling, instrument control in scientific probes, and radiation-exposed industrial systems. The high gate count accommodates complete bus interfaces (SpaceWire, MIL-STD-1553), DSP preprocessing, and glueless integration of legacy ASIC functions.
A key design consideration is thermal management: the ceramic CQ352 package supports radiation tolerance but requires careful power budgeting and board-level heat spreading, since space systems lack convective cooling. Verify speed-grade and radiation-lot ordering codes (V suffix) against the mission specification early.
This page synthesizes verified distributor data, drop-in family alternatives, pricing tiers, and practical space-design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, providing one-stop selection intelligence for radiation-tolerant FPGA procurement. Pricing shown is as of 2026-09-01.
Drop-in alternatives for RTAX4000SL-CQ352V — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with RTAX4000SL-CQ352V (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Family, Configuration, Logic Cells, Radiation Tolerance.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
RTAX4000SL-1CQ352V
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3600 / Unit
View Datasheet →RTAX4000SL-CQ352E
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$2620 / Unit
View Datasheet →RTAX4000S-1CQ352V
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Contact for price
View Datasheet →RTAX4000D-1CQ352E
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3000 / Unit
View Datasheet →RTAX4000D-CQ352EV
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →RTAX4000DL-1CQ352B
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View Datasheet →RTAX4000SL-CQ352V Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Type | Radiation-Tolerant FPGA |
| Family | RTAX-S/SL |
| Equivalent System Gates | 4,000,000 |
| Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs) | 40,320 |
| Logic Cells | 60,480 |
| Process Technology | CMOS |
| Configuration Type | Live at power-up (single-chip) |
| Embedded Memory | Embedded SRAM with FIFO control logic |
| Clock Resources | Segmentable clocks, chip-wide highway routing |
| Arithmetic Support | Dedicated carry logic |
| Package | CQ352 (352-pin ceramic column grid array) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Radiation Environment | Space flight |
RTAX4000SL-CQ352V cq352 (352-pin ceramic column grid array) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for RTAX4000SL-CQ352V (cq352 (352-pin ceramic column grid array) package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for RTAX4000SL-CQ352V.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
RTAX4000SL-CQ352V is suitable for 6 applications: Satellite Payload Processing, Spacecraft On-Board Data Handling, SpaceWire and Bus Interface Bridge, Scientific Instrument Control, Avionics Reconfigurable Logic, Radiation-Exposed Industrial Systems.
Satellite Payload Processing
The RTAX4000SL-CQ352V fits satellite payload processing because its 4,000,000-gate capacity and 40,320 CLBs integrate complete signal-chain preprocessing - filtering, formatting, compression - in one radiation-tolerant device. Its live-at-power-up single-chip configuration removes the external configuration PROM, reducing board mass and a common failure point in launch environments. Implemented between the payload sensor interface and the downlink formatter with embedded SRAM FIFOs buffering data-rate mismatches, the SL low-power grade helps stay within strict spacecraft power budgets; the main trade-off is soft-logic DSP efficiency versus the RTAX-DSP variants.
Recommended
Spacecraft On-Board Data Handling
For on-board data handling (OBDH), the RTAX4000SL-CQ352V provides enough logic (60,480 cells) to implement telemetry/telecommand formatting, memory controllers, and multiple bus interfaces concurrently. Chip-wide highway routing and segmentable clocks let designers isolate the clock domains of the processor interface from the telemetry section, improving timing closure. Embedded SRAM with built-in FIFO control simplifies buffering between subsystems. Deployed alongside a rad-tolerant microcontroller, the FPGA handles glueless integration of legacy ASIC functions; the SL grade's lower static power benefits the always-on nature of OBDH units during eclipse operations.
Recommended
SpaceWire and Bus Interface Bridge
The RTAX4000SL-CQ352V is well suited to implementing SpaceWire links, MIL-STD-1553 interfaces, and custom protocol bridges in a single chip. The 4,000,000-gate budget accommodates multiple protocol engines plus packet-routing logic, while dedicated carry logic accelerates CRC/checksum computation. Because the FPGA is live at power-up, interface links come up immediately - valuable for platforms that must respond to commands within seconds of separation events. Placing the interface logic in the radiation-tolerant fabric rather than commercial ASSPs removes single-event-latchup-prone components from critical communication paths.
Recommended
Scientific Instrument Control
Scientific instruments on exploration probes and observatories benefit from the RTAX4000SL-CQ352V's combination of large logic capacity and radiation tolerance. The 40,320 CLBs implement sequencer state machines, ADC/DAC interface timing, and detector front-end control concurrently. The ceramic CQ352 package withstands the thermal cycling of deep-space duty cycles, and the CMOS process keeps quiescent power low for power-constrained instruments. Embedded FIFOs decouple slow detector readout from high-speed science-data formatting. The SL low-power grade is preferred over the standard S grade where detector cooling budgets are tight, with the DSP variants available if on-board correlation math is required.
Recommended
Avionics Reconfigurable Logic
Spacecraft avionics use the RTAX4000SL-CQ352V where reconfigurable glue logic must survive radiation without configuration-memory upset concerns. Its live-at-power-up configuration means attitude-control and failure-management logic is operational from the first clock edge, supporting fail-safe startup requirements. The 4M-gate fabric hosts watchdog redundancy, voting logic, and sensor-conditioning interfaces around a radiation-hardened processor. Segmentable clock resources allow isolating safety-critical logic onto independent clock trees. Compared with commercial FPGAs, the RTAX-S/SL architecture was derived from the flight-proven Axcelerator family, easing design reuse and verification inheritance.
Recommended
Radiation-Exposed Industrial Systems
Beyond orbital platforms, the RTAX4000SL-CQ352V serves high-altitude aircraft, nuclear instrumentation, and particle-physics detector electronics where cumulative radiation degrades commercial silicon. The 4,000,000-gate capacity allows consolidating timing, trigger, and readout logic into one radiation-tolerant device, and the CQ352 ceramic package provides mechanical robustness and hermeticity valuable in these environments. Single-chip live-at-power-up operation shortens system bring-up after power interruptions common in such installations. Designers should budget the FPGA's static and dynamic power into the system thermal design, since these installations typically cool by conduction only.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for RTAX4000SL-CQ352V — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | RTAX4000SL-1CQ352V | RTAX4000SL-CQ352E | RTAX4000S-1CQ352V | RTAX4000D-CQ352EV | RTAX4000DL-1CQ352B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | CQ352 | CQ352 - same | CQ352 - same | CQ352 - same | CQ352 - same | CQ352 - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Equivalent System Gates | 4,000,000 | 4,000,000 | 4,000,000 | 4,000,000 | 4,000,000 (DSP-class) | 4,000,000 (DSP-class) |
| CLBs | 40,320 | 40,320 | 40,320 | 40,320 | 40,320 (with DSP blocks) | 40,320 (with DSP blocks) |
| Family / Grade | RTAX-SL (low-power) | RTAX-SL | RTAX-SL | RTAX-S (standard) | RTAX-DSP | RTAX-DSP (low-power) |
| Dedicated DSP Blocks | No (soft logic) | No (soft logic) | No (soft logic) | No (soft logic) | Yes | Yes |
| Radiation Flow Suffix | V | V | E | V | V | B |
Key Differentiators
- Low-power SL grade at maximum family density (vs RTAX4000S-1CQ352V)
- Full-speed grade (not -1) timing headroom (vs RTAX4000SL-1CQ352V)
- Soft-logic simplicity vs DSP-hardened variants (vs RTAX4000D-CQ352EV)
Design Notes
Ordering-code discipline is critical in the RTAX-S/SL family: the letters encode die (S/SL/D/DL), speed grade (-1, standard), package (CQ352), and screening/flow (V, E, B, PROTO). Procuring the wrong suffix - for example an E-flow part for a mission requiring V screening, or a -1 speed grade where standard timing closure was assumed - can invalidate a qualified design. Always cross-check the full MPN against the mission parts list and the ordering table in the Microchip RTAX-S/SL datasheet before release.
The CQ352 ceramic column grid array dissipates heat by conduction only in vacuum. Estimated: with a worst-case internal power of a few watts in a 4M-gate fabric, junction temperature rise depends directly on board-level thermal path (wedge-lock, heat pipe, or radiator to the spacecraft structure). Perform a thermal budget analysis using your final utilization-based power estimate, and derate per your program's reliability guidelines. Reduce dynamic power by constraining clock trees with the segmentable clock resources.
Lay out the CQ352 footprint once and reuse it across the RTAX4000 family: SL, S, D, and DL variants in CQ352 share the land pattern, allowing a single PCB to accept a DSP variant (RTAX4000D/DL) or a different screening flow later without respin. Decouple the core and I/O supplies per the datasheet power recommendations, and keep JTAG and power pins per the datasheet pin tables since those assignments are fixed even though user I/O is programmable.
Compliance Information
Space-grade ceramic-packaged device; RoHS/REACH status not stated in the provided data. Ceramic CQFP/CCGA packaging for space programs may carry specific exemptions - confirm with Microchip.
